


Still Waters Run Deep

by brokensunlight



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Modern AU, all the characters listed above are good in author-san’s universe, author-san is a stoic, author-san rewrites the whole history of the Uchihas, author-san values friendship and family love, previous incarnation & reincarnation, this story is very tasteless
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:14:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 147,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27727319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokensunlight/pseuds/brokensunlight
Summary: Waters running deep will become silent, and so will love. The deeper, the quieter.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi/Haruno Sakura
Comments: 49
Kudos: 141





	1. Boiling Water

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fanfiction.

She had to find a way. There must be one, she thought. There must be one.

She tried to come up with something. As Itachi's wife, she could not act recklessly. She had to consider her family and her happiness. Both must be secured, she murmured to herself as if to remind her there would be a way to solve it. She would escape safely. Yoko Mimura had a sleepless night once again.

She had been married to Uchiha Itachi for two years. It was a marriage of convenience. Uchiha Itachi was the heir of the Uchiha clan, so he had to marry someone to maintain the bloodline. Her father desperately desired to have a close relationship with the Uchihas who had power across the world, owning huge businesses and relationship network. She found Itachi handsome, and he definitely could fulfil her ego, so she listened to her father, being a friend with him since university, and she was the winner. She knew Itachi did not love her, and he would agree with what the clan elders arranged for him. Her father said Itachi was not interested in a romantic relationship so he would listen to his clan. She just needed to show she cared for him, kept a clean background, and she got him. But now she was getting sick of this. She was still young. She didn't want a man who focused too much on his work. Yes, her family got huge benefits from the Uchihas. Yes, she had all the things she wanted. But she wanted more. More than that. She wanted to divorce, but this would be impossible without damaging her family's benefit from the Uchihas. If she voiced out her wish to divorce, the Uchihas would agree without argument. Then the break-up would be announced like a peaceful one. But she did not wish these things to happen. She wanted more.

First, she must have a persuasive reason - a reason that would bring her no harm. She must be the innocent one. If she spoke out her wish to divorce, she would be the one who started everything - the one to blame. Second, benefits, power, and the pride her family gained from this marriage must stay the same. She couldn't stand jumping back to the former position in the past.

The best way she could think of was to blame for Itachi. But he generally did nothing wrong. Although he was busy working, fairly said, he did fulfil his husband's duty. He would spare time to escort her to the important parties, and as per usual, he never let any women get close to him except some members in his clan. You cannot blame a clan heir because he is busy. This was what the clan elders had already mentioned when discussing marriage. They wanted a wife who supported Itachi, and she won because she acted well in four years. This meant she had to find another mistake - a fatal one. Her baby could not wait for any procrastination.

The next morning, as she entered the Uchiha manor, she caught a glimpse of Sakura - the wife of her husband's brother. They got married for a half year. This woman was a famous doctor not only within this country but also the world. Her reputation as a top doctor and researcher broke the borders of all nations. She barely talked to this woman, as they had nothing in common. She loved spending time on shopping, spa, resorts, and parties where others would bow their heads in front of her, whereas Sakura buried herself in medical books and the hospital. How boring this woman is! She smirked. Why do you need to go to work while you don't need to?

Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura were friends since childhood. She did not know the details of their relationship. She only knew that after Sasuke finished his university, he came back home, and they were engaged. Sometimes she wondered how they could still love each other after being separated for three years. She had to admit she somehow got jealous with Sakura. This woman was an orphan, and then got adopted along with Uzumaki Naruto by the Chief of Police Hatake Kakashi. Then she was accepted to become an apprentice under the tutelage of Prof. Senju Tsunade at the age of 15, just to be found a missing Senju later. The Senjus were as scary as the Uchihas, and these two clans fortunately and unfortunately were good friends. Tobirama - Tsunade's elder brother had a daughter who was kidnapped at the age of two, causing big chaos that year. His wife bathed herself in tears for years until she passed away, leaving Tobirama to become a bitter man towards the world. This was what her father had told her long ago.

Well, she thought she found a way to solve her headache now.


	2. Glacier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Uchiha Madara had had a conversation with Itachi, making him contemplate his clan history, and suddenly he felt he missed his father so much.

Now their patriarch was Fugaku, and their matriarch was Mikoto – his youngest sister. These two had two children: Itachi and Sasuke. Madara was a legend of the Uchiha clan, but his personality made him suitable to stay in the shadow.

The Uchiha clan had a long history. They were truly talented, and the destiny of the talented had been proved throughout history as being isolated rather than being loved. Discrimination only led to one consequence that those who were discriminated would unite. The more discriminated they were, the more they felt they needed to protect each other, the stronger they felt they belonged together. That was the reason why the Uchihas somehow carved in their hearts the love for each of their clan members and especially the trust they held for the head family. How was it possible that ones were supposed to be kind to those discriminated them?

History affected the way people viewed the future. Madara thought, recalling the vague memories he shared with his father.

"Madara, history will always stay there, mighty and powerful, no matter how much you want to forget it, erase it, defame it, efface it, or bury it. Minorities do not need to try to memorise their history. It is in their hearts at the time they were born." His father's voice was calm and firm. "The Uchihas laboured love and trust during the darkest period in the past, and the elders like me and you in the future must tell the young generations over and over again about staying close together."

The older Madara became, the more he understood his father: A person can change many things in life, from nationality, lover, spouse, gender, to job, to which city to live, and so on, but no one can change the bond shared with parents. No matter how much you resent them or love them, that bond exists and never disappears.

His father told him about the history of the Uchihas in ancient time. It was a tragic story, though. An outsider used the kindness of a young talented boy in his clan as a weapon against his own people. That poor young boy, Madara thought, definitely moved the wrong step. There were many ways to sort out the problem and to look at it more thoroughly. Kindness was as good as love, and a blessing always carried a curse. Love blurred the judgement; kindness used in the wrong way would end up in cruelty. In the end, the Uchihas exiled themselves to a plateau where life was much difficult. Harsh life brought them even closer. That young talented boy disappeared. Some said he died of lung disease; some said he committed suicide. Madara wished he could fly back to the past and slap on those who used that young boy. A person who takes advantage of other people's kindness is trash, Madara thought.

But time changed. The Uchihas spread their power throughout the world wisely. You might see this company did not relate to that company, and the CEOs were not the Uchihas, and only a few knew who indeed controlled them from the shadow. The power and money people saw they possessed were simply the small part of the iceberg, yet that small visible part was scary enough.

The Uchihas followed strictly on some traditions. The minority usually has a rich history, meaningful tales, special traditions and symbols, of which they are proud. Nobody respects you if you disrespect yourself. The Uchihas' traditional apparels were always embroidered with the uchiwa symbol. This didn't mean they hated people outside the clan. In fact, they valued trust and love, so they would not give them away easily. Once they did, they did.

Madara used to be angry with his father's decision for Mikoto to become the clan heir. At that time he was young and devoted, working like a dog, eagerly coming back home after a year only to find out the painful truth that his beloved sister became the clan heir. His father's reason was illogical. He told him Mikoto got married, which was why Mikoto would understand things that he did not. His father was a great man, though. He could foresee Madara and Izuna became two golden forever single men.

He tapped the pen on the desk a few more times.

This world was more and more competitive, and couples less and less wanted to have children. Uchiha men were workaholics, and as a curse, newborn babies were 80% boys. Enjoying being in the office talking about business and business, these hopeless 80% ended up somewhere Madara didn't want to know, not to mention 20% ladies tended to be the same. Love was unpredictable, so Madara thought it would be okay for clan members to find their partners when they felt available. But the head family was different. Madara got a headache.

He inherited the foreseeing power from his father. He understood Itachi. This child was kind and responsible, and sometimes he overwhelmed himself. Itachi did know a child was a part of his duty, so his two-year-marriage without a single child was strange. Itachi did not like to discuss this problem. He preferred it to be his privacy.

"But you know that you are the heir," Madara emphasised.

"I know I am," Itachi said.

"Itachi, do you know your duty?" Madara calmly asked. "This is a clan, Itachi. No matter how you hate it."

"I love my clan," Itachi corrected. "I know my duty. To answer your question, if I don't have my own child, I will adopt Sasuke's child as the next heir."

"How are you so sure about Sasuke?" Madara was confused. "They look like they don't want children."

"No," Itachi shook his head lightly, "they will."

So Madara the legend left Itachi alone peacefully. "I'll find Sasuke."

Itachi watched his uncle leave the office, pressing on his temple, realising he did make a bad move to reveal his intention to Madara.

"Sorry, Sasuke," Itachi chuckled. "It seems you'll have some bad time with Madara soon."


	3. Lukewarm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Sakura checked her messages every morning. It was like the gift from heaven for having people who cared for you. In the end, from when you were a child to when you became an adult, the number of people you got to know increased, and at the same time, those who stayed close with you decreased in number. When you were young, you made friends; when you were older, you started to learn that you just needed to stay still and watched those destined to stay with you remain, and those who would slip away definitely would gradually disappear. At that time, you would learn to treasure every moment you have with them as you did not know what would happen tomorrow. Her personality was sociable; she made a lot of friends. Yet time changed things, and nothing would never change. Everybody was busy with one's own life. Having people to spend their time for you was the evidence of being loved. She was contented with what she had now. Perhaps the Uchihas taught her this: Quality was more important than quantity. The Uchihas were all those who had their own priorities very clearly.

Sasuke sent a message to remind her to have lunch. He knew her bad habit of skipping lunch as she forgot everything when she worked.

She checked the next message from Naruto with simply a good morning. She smiled every time she saw Naruto's good morning. This was an old promise between Naruto and her, and Naruto kept it until now although he did not need to do it anymore. When they were teenagers, Naruto couldn't wake up early, or to be more precise, he did not have a will to wake up. Being late to school was nothing to compare with some few more minutes of sleep. But it became a bad habit that Naruto's sleep cycle was broken after summer vacation, so they made a promise that every time he sent her a good morning at 7 a.m., she would send him back a goodnight before 11 p.m. on the same day. Naruto loved the feeling when someone wished him a goodnight.

Next was her old man Kakashi. It was quite strange today that Kakashi sent more than ten messages. Sakura sighed inwardly. She had a bad feeling about it. Opening the messages, she found they had similar content. If there were a noticeable difference, it would be the number of exclamation marks.

"My dear Sakura," she knew it was 100% bad news when seeing the word 'dear', "my favourite book was out today, but your little old man could not make it to buy the limited version with illustrations and the author's signature. Could you spare some time to get the book for me?"

The next line was the address and the time.

The next messages were like:

"Sakura, my book!"

"Sakura, my book!!!"

"Sakura, my book!!!!!"

Naruto was currently abroad with Kakashi. They were sent to investigate something important; therefore, she became his target or the only hope. She had to send a reply to assure him that she would get it for him. Just a book, she sighed. Icha Icha Paradise series started its debut when she was a child, and now it hadn't finished yet, but her little old man was a crazy fan of this series. She had no clue what the content was, but he put them on the most beautiful spot on the bookshelf and cover them in plastic with great care. She remembered one morning Naruto spilt coffee all over his book, Kakashi acted so fast to save his babe, but it was too late. He looked so hurt that he lamented for it a whole week. Naruto got so frightened that he vowed to stay at least a meter away from his books.

The next message was from Mikoto. Mikoto was her mother-in-law - an elegant lady who loved to buy tiny things. This time was a photo of a super cute hairpin. She knew this meant Mikoto had bought it for her on her business trip with Fugaku - her father-in-law, a stern man with a kind heart hidden from his cold demeanour. Uchiha men were usually stoic, but she knew it better than anyone else that they treasured love much more than normal people, and they would show their soft side behind closed doors. Mikoto loved to buy tiny little things. She always prepared big luxury gifts for those important in their relationship network but tiny little things for those she loved.

The next message was from her father - her biological father.

"My little Nashi. These days are colder. Remember to keep yourself warm."

Her official name was Senju Yamanashi. When she was in the orphanage, she was named Haruno Sakura. When she was found to be the missing Senju, she regained her official name on the paper, but everyone already got used to calling her Sakura. Only the Senjus insisted on Yamanashi. She thought they missed her, and in some ways, the name Sakura just reminded them of the nightmare in the past. Besides, Yamanashi was given by her deceased mother, which Tobirama did not allow to let it be washed away. To Sakura, he was another little old man who had spent years lamenting for his lost daughter. Every time she looked into his eyes, they were always filled with something melancholy and nostalgic, melting her heart with pain. She knew he loved her despite the fact that they had been separated for more than a decade.

This little old man was her father. Nothing would ever change it. He was not fond of the Uchihas, but he loved her. She did not like the way he viewed the world, but she loved him. Love is to feel, not to argue or analyse.

This time Itachi sent her a message too. No need to open, she already knew what was inside. It was no doubt a photo of some kind of sweets. No one around her loved sweets, except Itachi and Shisui - Itachi's cousin. They even had a small group called "Lovely People All Have a Sweet Tooth" where they shared their favourite sweet shops. This time Itachi sent a photo of a box of colourful sweets in different shapes without the shop's address.

She checked her next message. It was Shisui. She could guess what he was about to say. Shisui condemned Itachi for eating alone and hiding the address.

The book signing event was offered on Sunday in a big bookstore. After waiting in a long line of people just for a signature, she finally met the author.

"What do you want me to write on the book?" The author asked.

My goodness. Kakashi never told her about this.

"Just simply put 'To Kakashi'," she replied. "Maybe okay."

The author looked at her in surprise.

"Is it Hatake Kakashi?"

"Oh, yes," Sakura hesitated, "it's him."

"My loyal reader who usually writes me long letters expressing his feelings for the books," the author laughed out loud and winked at her. "Emails at midnight."

The creepy play with the creepy, Sakura thought.

The author looked at her hand.

"You're married," he exclaimed.

Sakura smiled.

"Do you read my books? It is good for couples."

Not knowing clearly what the book was about, her instinct told her its readers were creepy. Besides, many people were queuing behind her, so she grabbed the book and quickly excused herself.

She planned to visit the Uchiha manor today.


	4. A Drop of Tea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

A beautiful sunny Sunday was a blessing. Uchiha Shisui woke up, having a bath, singing in the bathroom, making breakfast, enjoying his weekends.

"Today I should call myself Sun Shines Shisui's Sunny Sunday," Shisui happily thought while finishing his sandwich. Being a member of the Special Forces, having time like this was so peaceful.

And he noticed a message from Itachi with a photo of a box of sweets.

Shisui suddenly felt his breakfast was not as delicious as he thought. He cleaned everything before getting dress. He did plan to spend a whole day staying at home today, yet eating sweets alone was unacceptable. He needed to report to Sakura too. Getting his car, he drove to find Itachi. Knowing Itachi since he was still a child, Shisui was among a few who understood Itachi, and if it was to put precisely, he was the only one to know Itachi's situation in detail.

He drove his car to the West, and it took approximately 3 hours to get to Itachi's house, which was located in the suburb.

The Uchiha manor was where Itachi and Sasuke grew up. It was a place suitable for the clan meeting and family reunion. The Uchiha shrine was located on the plateau where the Uchihas chose to settle after exiling themselves; it was for important and sacred ceremonies like wedding, funeral, new year, mid-autumn, or new babies' blessings. To the Uchihas, Mid-Autumn was the most important festival in a year. They moved little by little to the plain after spreading their power, but the plateau was not abandoned. In fact, it was protected like the remnant of glory rather than the coldly darkest time in the clan history. They ordered to maintain and renovate everything as much as they could. Uchiha old men and women usually chose to be there after retiring.

When Sakura was married to Sasuke, she was brought there once, and as a researcher, she found some rare herbs that could cure some diseases. These kinds of herbs only grew under harsh weather in mountain rock crevices and scattered above the snow at four thousand to six thousand meters above sea level. She asked the elders whether or not she could produce them more, and they gave her a pass with a condition: The Uchihas must be the first priority to use them in emergency cases. Well, Sakura thought it was okay since without her, the Uchihas would still find a way in emergency cases, and only hypocrites would say they cared for everyone the same way as they did for their family members. A friend to all was a friend to none. When you loved someone, you wished the best for them, such as being a better person or trying to give them what you could in your ability. Only a person who valued their family despite its imperfection would understand the feeling of love and pain in other families. If a child lost the ability to feel the pain when someone slapped on him, he would hurt others as he never knew it hurt.

Itachi and Sasuke also had their own houses after they got married, but the house in the West, about which Shisui usually joked as Itachi the recluse's shelter, was a different story. He did not need to ask where Itachi was; he just simply knew Itachi was there. That was an unnoticeable small house with a small garden, one bedroom, one bathroom, and one kitchen. There was no living room, for Itachi never had the intention to invite anyone there. Shisui had to park his car in the nearest parking lot and walked about thirty minutes to that little house. They would share sweets and drink tea in the garden.

When hearing the bell ring, Itachi took his last bite on his sweets.

This must be Shisui, he thought. No one knew about the existence of this little house except Shisui. Sakura did have a vague idea that Itachi had a shelter from Shisui's joke, but she did not know exactly where it was.

"Eating sweets alone is unacceptable," Shisui feigned being angry.

Itachi smiled, stepping aside to let Shisui walk inside.

Shisui got straight to the garden and saw two empty familiar boxes. Shisui pointed at the boxes, looking at Itachi in disbelief.

"You explain this to me. Why are there two boxes?"

"Ah, I bought three boxes yesterday," Itachi smiled.

"I know you bought three boxes," Shisui's voice trembled. "But why are there two empty boxes?"

"Ah," Itachi chuckled, "I ate my box, and it was so delicious that I couldn't control myself, so I ate yours."

"You don't need to specify that the second empty box is mine," Shisui's hand dramatically held on his heart. "Why not Sakura's?"

"I'm full."

"Liar!" Shisui exclaimed. "Besides, you dodged my question!"

"Back to the main problem," Itachi smiled, "why do you come here?"

Shisui sat down, looking at the garden with flowers and plants grown by Itachi. Itachi had had a hard time learning how to take care of these plants. A lot wilted and died when he first grew them.

"Are you okay, Itachi?" Shisui asked.

"It has been a long time since someone asked me this question," Itachi smiled, pouring Shisui a cup of tea.

"So you're not okay," Shisui took a sip on his tea.

"I am neither okay nor not okay," Itachi replied.

"So why are you here?" Shisui asked.

"This is my home."

"You have another home too."

"I have many houses."

"What's about your actor?" Shisui got frustrated.

"What actor?"

"Actress."

"I know no actress."

"You do."

"I don't."

"Itachi!" Shisui took another sip to calm down. "Do you hate to be the heir?"

The wind blew through the garden, making the wind chime tinkle pleasantly. Itachi looked at it for a moment. That wind chime was made of metal and wood. The wood suspension flatform which was holding the metal tubes was cut into the shape of a five-petal-flower. The central string held a sail in the same shape.

"It is Sakura's," Shisui commented.

"You have one too," Itachi smiled.

"Yeah," Shisui took a deep breath, "she made it for Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, you, and me. But why is it shaped in petal? Mine is a star; Naruto's is a laughing sun; Sasuke's is a waning moon; Kakashi's is a dog's face."

"She made the petal for herself," Itachi said, "and I would have been given another, but I heard it was broken, so she replaced mine with hers."

"Are you curious about what yours looked like?"

"I asked once before, but she refused to answer."

"It might be a dango," Shisui laughed. Itachi smiled at his conclusion.

They said nothing for a while.

"I used to hate to be the heir," Itachi recalled his memories.

Shisui's demeanour changed to a serious one.

"When I was a child, I did have a good childhood. I respect my parents, and I love them. They love me too. Giving love and being loved is great, Shisui. Only an Uchiha understands an Uchiha; I know you understand what I am saying. When I showed myself a prodigy, everyone started to focus more on me, expecting more from me. At such a young age, I only cared about satisfying my curiosity about the world, so they taught me things that other children at the same age could never learn," Itachi closed his eyes, feeling the wind caress his face. "When I was a teenager, I started to hate to be a clan heir. I didn't understand why they expected from me that much. I felt it invisibly weigh on my shoulders. Too much to be done. I was sick of hearing them, again and again, saying about the clan and the clan. I blamed my parents for once in my life without noticing they have been in those positions for years."

"When I was an adult, I started to feel a little bit different," Itachi continued. "Things come at their own cost. The cost of free things is much higher than anyone can imagine. Sartre said that man was condemned to be free. It is "condemned", Shisui. Responsibility makes one move as long as that one understands the value of it. We love to live without it, but it will never happen. When you throw your responsibility away, you still have to take responsibility for that action. You are free to do what you want, and you must bear the consequences. People trust you with the responsibility given because they think you are a capable person. When I was a teenager, I was frustrated with things they said, and I stayed aloof from them. But when I am getting to know more about my clan, having a chance to talk with the new generations - those children with innocent eyes told me they dreamt of growing up like me and being able to contribute for the clan, doing charity, and taking care of their old parents in the future, at that time I understood what it meant to be an heir."

"It's like," Shisui tried to find his words, "when I am assigned for a mission. Everyone in the Special Forces always hopes to be a part of a mission. The more important mission, the more they want to be assigned. That is not a show-off as what we are doing is highly classified, but it is a way to feel that you contribute something, and there are lives you save."

"Problems can never be solved by eliminating things you suppose to be the root; not to mention, the root is not easy to find out. The elders are strict, but they do care for me," Itachi continued. "I am the heir, and they demand from me more than others, but they do try to do their best for an heir. And being Uchihas, we carry the extremes in our blood."

"Extremes?"

"We love with all of our heart, so we'll feel the sorrow as much as our love. We jump to the conclusion to eliminate the origins of our pains rather than finding a way to fix them," Itachi slowly explained his words. "Just like when our favourite clothes have a small tear, we'll burn them instead of spending some minutes sewing it. In life, you can buy new clothes, but I think you get what I mean. The kind of clothes I mentioned would usually never appear again. Just like the young talented boy we learnt when we were children, he was young, and no one gave him time to sort things out. He was manipulated because of his kindness, and he jumped to the extreme solution. When I first heard that story in our clan's history class, I felt hurt, Shisui. I don't know why, but I really really wanted to cry for him. He was just a young boy. If only someone older and wiser had stayed by his side to explain for him. The clothes he dearly loved were burnt, and no one sold the same clothes as those for him again."

"So I'm lucky to be the only Uchiha without extreme thoughts," Shisui laughed it off.

"No," Itachi shook his head in disagreement, "you have extreme thoughts, Shisui."

"How can?" Shisui argued.

"There was a mission that you tried to commit suicide because you thought it would be better for everyone," Itachi seriously said. "Don't I need to remind you?"

Shisui became silent.

"It seems the Uchihas are all with the extremes, right?"

"Yes or no," Itachi replied. "We have to understand ourselves to remind ourselves before taking actions. That's it."

"So what about your actress?" Shisui brought it up again.

"Why do you insist on that subject?" Itachi sighed.

"I'm an Uchiha with the extremes," Shisui exclaimed.

Itachi sighed again.

"You overwhelm yourself, Itachi."

"I am contented with what I have," Itachi concluded. "It's the end of discussion."

Shisui poured himself another cup of tea and took a big sip.

"It has been a long time since our group met," Shisui announced.

"Group?"

"Lovely People All Have a Sweet Tooth."

"Ah."

"As the head of the group," Shisui proudly said with his hand on his chest, "I'll have to organise a warm meeting soon."

"When did you become the head of the group?" Itachi teased him.

"I promoted myself," Shisui stated. "Member Uchiha Itachi, do you have any problem with my decision?"

"No, sir."

Itachi smiled.


	5. Waterfall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Hashirama was in his brother's car, freaking out because he forgot his phone at home.

"Shut up, brother," Tobirama said. "You are too noisy."

"Tobi," Hashirama stretched the corners of his mouth, "may I borrow your phone?"

"Just take it," Tobirama said, "as long as you shut up."

Hashirama silently took it and entered the password. He knew Tobirama's password, and he was so proud of this. His brother, although usually acting like being annoyed by him, trusted him.

He opened the phone book, searching for the name starting with letter U, but he saw all strange names.

Okay, Hashirama thought, search for letter M.

Still nothing.

"Tobi…," Hashirama asked, "where can I find Madara?"

"Search for the letter D," Tobirama said.

"D?" Hashirama got confused. The name Madara had nothing to do with the letter D. He searched for it, and he had to blink his eyes many times, and then he shifted his eyes to Tobirama in silence.

"But which number Tobi?" Hashirama asked carefully.

"Three."

Hashirama pressed on the "Damn Uchiha 3".

"What's up, Hashirama?" Madara asked.

"How do you know it's me?" Hashirama was surprised.

"Your brother must be crazy to call me at the weekend," Madara indifferently commented. "But what's up?"

"Madara," Hashirama tried to talk in an undertone, "would you like to have a drink with me?"

"Where are you?" Madara complained. "You are talking with the tone of a thief in another person's property."

"I'm risking my life calling you," Hashirama urged him. "Quick! Yes or no?"

"No," Madara bluntly said, "I'm at the airport now. I don't have time for you. Rescheduling it to next week will be better."

"Next week, I'm busy."

"So goodbye," Madara ended the call.

When your best friend and your beloved brother treat you like you are an unnecessary existence in their lives, you still have to smile, Hashirama told himself. Smile and everything will be alright. Hashirama, be strong!

And then he shifted his focus back to the phone book.

"Tobi…," Hashirama called his brother, "so who is number two?"

"Izuna."

"What about number one?"

Tobirama's face darkened.

"Is it…," Hashirama carefully asked, "Sasuke?"

Tobirama's face darkened more.

So it's Uchiha Sasuke, Hashirama thought.

Lost in his thought while looking at his brother, Hashirama called for Sasuke accidentally. When he looked back, he was terrified, but he thought it would be impolite if he ended it, so he quickly put the phone on his ear. And he put it down.

Meanwhile, Tobirama had already noticed everything since his stupid brother freaked out.

"What happened?"

"Nothing," Hashirama assured. "I just accidentally called Sasuke."

"And his phone gave you a busy tone," Tobirama added.

"Tobi…," Hashirama tried to talk. "He has his job… like us."

"Yeah."

"You should understand it, Tobi."

"Yeah."

"Husband and wife are supposed to understand each other, Tobi. Nashi accepts it, and Sasuke accepts and respects Nashi's job too."

"Yeah."

"It's just like you and Sora…," Hashirama realized he said something he was supposed not to. "I'm sorry, Tobi."

"As I told you, shut up! I need to focus on driving," Tobirama seemed not to care, but Hashirama knew he did notice it.

Hashirama could only sigh inwardly.

Tobirama was a cool kid back then, and a lot of girls liked him, but Madara told him that he saw a golden glow behind Tobirama's head. Until now, he still wasn't sure if it was a joke or not. At that time he joked back whether the golden glow meant Tobi was a saint. Marada shook his head and told him that it was a sign of being forever alone. And then after Sora appeared in Tobirama's life, his sister-in-law tried to court his brother. One day, Madara told him that the golden glow became lighter and smaller; a year later, Tobirama proposed to Sora. What the mother once did was okay, but when the daughter did the same, it was not okay. Hashirama couldn't understand it.

Okay, in fact, he understood. Tobirama had an ugly impression on Sasuke, and it was always hard to change his brother's first impression. Tobirama was not bad; in fact, his brother had a benevolent heart, but he attached too much to his first impression and preconception. Yamanashi was received back to the Senju clan when she was 16, and Sasuke left this country to study abroad around that time. Yamanashi was very young and naive back then, and she couldn't control her emotions. Tobirama received his daughter back just to witness to his long-lost daughter crying all nights some months later, not to mention her reckless decision to book a flight to find Sasuke alone without telling anyone, making Kakashi and Tobirama worry to death. Kakashi had to exploit his rights as the Chief of Police to track her, and they both booked the flight to get there. Not so long after they left, Naruto returned from his training session and booked another flight following them. It was a total mess that day.

Then Hashirama looked back at the phone book. There were 5 Damn Uchihas, so who were the other two? Tobirama did have a good impression on Itachi and Shisui though. During the first year, Yamanashi's emotions were sometimes stable and sometimes not, and she had been confused about many things, but Itachi was there to give her some good advice.

Never mind, Hashirama thought, Izuna is Tobirama's best friend but still the number two.


	6. Flow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

After Uchiha Sasuke had just finished a conference on Sunday, he received a call from Madara - his uncle.

"Uncle Madara," Sasuke greeted with a calm tone.

"Sasuke," Madara excitedly said, "I'm on the way to pay you a visit."

"What do you mean by paying me a visit?" Sasuke asked fishily.

"I have something important to discuss with you," Madara gladly said.

"You can wait until I fly back home then," Sasuke suggested.

"No no no," Madara dismissed, "I heard you would be there a couple of weeks, which is too long for me to wait."

"Is it really that important?" Sasuke asked with doubting tone.

"100% important," Madara seriously said, "how can your uncle have time for trivial things?"

"Okay then…," Sasuke decided not to pursue this matter any further, "when do you arrive? I'll arrange for someone to pick you up at the airport."

Madara told him the information about his fight before they ended the phone call.

Sasuke rubbed on his temple, making another call to arrange someone to pick Madara up, and then he got on a car back to the hotel. He needed a rest. Sasuke looked at his phone and tried to figure out why Madara called him. In this clan, Madara loved to be around with his uncle Izuna and his mother Mikoto. Outside the clan was Hashirama. He rarely talked with other clan members and was only interested in talking with Itachi after his marriage. Sasuke had a bad feeling about it.

Finally lying down on the bed after a whole busy week, he took out his phone, calling his little wife.

"Sasuke," the way his wife calling his name sounded so cute.

"What are you doing now?" Sasuke asked with a soft voice without noticing it himself.

"At the manor," she said. "I need some medical books I left in our room."

Sasuke could hear the sound of moving chairs and books taken in and out of the bookshelf.

"Sasuke, did you eat properly?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah is a yes or a way to dodge my question? You have anorexia, don't you know? I'm at least busy and forget lunch only, but you're always like you don't need to eat. That is not good for your health."

"Yeah."

"Yeah again," Sakura complained. "You must take photos of your breakfast, your lunch, your dinner and send them to me from now on. I don't trust you on this matter."

"Hm."

"Ah, I also met Yoko today."

"Yoko?"

"Your sister-in-law."

"Ah."

"I'll have a drink with her after I finish packing my books."

"Since when you two became good friends?" Sasuke wondered.

"Just a moment ago!" Sakura exclaimed happily. "She is a kind and mild lady, Sasuke. She told me good stories and was very patient to listen to me. She was also interested in my medicine books and gave some comments and questions when I explained my stuff. I've never talked to her before 'cause I felt maybe she didn't like me. I thought I was wrong, Sasuke. She is very gentle and also has a sense of humour. We've had some good time today."

"I'm glad that you have made a new friend."

"Have you just finished your conference?" Sakura worried.

"It's just a conference," Sasuke chuckled, "not a war. You don't need to talk so seriously."

"You need a sleep, Sasuke."

"Hm."

"So…," Sakura stopped for a few seconds, "I'll end the call, and you'll rest, okay?"

"Hm."

"Bye."

This room brought him a sense of the past. It somehow reminded Sasuke of some memories when he was a teenager who desired to escape from his father's high expectation and parental negligence. It was painted in a white and black palette, featured varying shades and square proportions with clean lines, furnished with pure black banquette, white pillows. The flooring was black granite. There was a black vase with asparagus fern. His apartment back then was also in white and black but much smaller and less furniture. When he married Sakura, their new house was decorated by her. She loved flowers in a bright light colour, and every time he came back home, he saw fresh flowers welcoming him. She seemed never bored with buying flowers.

Back then, except for going to school and getting back to his own apartment, he did nothing more. He buried himself in studying as he was, of course, an Uchiha with clear-cut goals, self-discipline, and prioritisation. Yet, there was another reason: It was in order to dispel those wrenching feelings of a person afraid of being lonely: Cooking his own dinner, queuing to buy food and necessities, washing dishes, cleaning the house, walking back home under a sombre sky, and many things more he had never done before were all done by himself now. All alone. Sometimes he missed those faraway dysfunctionally beautiful days when Naruto, Sakura, and he shared the same meals, or those crazy noisy sleepovers they had at Kakashi's house. Kakashi would open the wardrobe; Naruto would pull out the blankets; Sakura would place the futons on the living room floor; he would carry the pillows. Four of them would lie next to each other, turning off the light, talking in the darkness. Naruto would ramble about all stupid unbelievable things in the world; Sakura would feign scolding him while laughing inside; he would tell Naruto to shut up and argue back, ending up calling him a moron; Kakashi would be silent like he was sleeping, but all of them knew he enjoyed it.

Humans were social animals, and Sasuke always knew that. No matter how much you wanted to stay away from everything, or tried to push away other people, the not-wanting-to-grow-up-baby inside you was still craving for being connected, being cared for, being understood, or in the end, just simply there was someone by your side, no need to say anything. Those who thought they could bear the weight of loneliness usually were those craving for love the most. He was only human, after all.

He had planned everything carefully. Like Sakura, he graduated from high school at the age of 15 while Naruto applied for some programmes that Kakashi had suggested since books and anything consuming so much brain energy were not suitable for Naruto. Naruto was devoted, energetic; despite the tendency of acting before thinking, he was excellent at martial arts. Police academy required the age at least 18, so Kakashi assigned some things specially designed for him.

Sakura was offered quite many scholarships in the medical field after she won the first prize in a famous competition, but she chose not to study abroad since her wish as becoming an apprentice of Tsunade came true while Tsunade decided to return to her motherland after long years of travelling in foreign countries.

His decision to leave did not exist at the very beginning, but once he had, he immediately planned and applied for the scholarship, knowing that 100% he would be accepted. Once he received his university acceptance letter that he had been admitted to the school, he booked the flight, and he flew away.

Before cutting all the contacting methods, he had a talk with his parents. They respected his choice without too many questions. His father only asked him whether that was what he really wanted. He still remembered his father's calm and solemn countenance when listening to his answer, the way he exchanged eye contact with his mother, and his agreeing nod when receiving his confirmation of his plan. Only some years later, he understood his father's reaction, just like a person had to be a parent to understand their parents. As long as he chose with his own will and understood that he had to take responsibility for his own decision, they would support it.

Before he left the room, his mom called him: "Sasuke, no matter where you are, remember, there is a home here for you to come back whenever you want." He couldn't imagine a life without them. There were people that he wanted to be better for; without them, where would he go? It would be definitely so terrible that he would resent the world.

And they respected his wish not to announce it to anyone, not to escort him to the airport for a farewell, and not to call him during the time he was abroad as long as his emergency contact information was filled with a family number. And just be so, he left without noticing anyone else.

By some ways, Sakura knew it and made a mess at the airport that night. He told her they were different, and different people should do different things. The young and naïve girl standing in front of him just shed tears, begging him not to go. How innocent!

She had just been received back to the Senjus with a father caring for her little by little, and she told him to let her leave with him. She told him to wait for her and that she would apply for school there. But he needed a break - a break free from all things and people he was so familiar with.

If asked to describe that three-year-period, he would say he was like a young man travelling so far just to realize how much he missed home.

He remembered when Sakura was found to be a Senju, her face looked perplexed, not having a single clue how to react to the truth exposed to her, crying in Kakashi's arms, and avoiding the Senjus at all cost. She even tried to avoid seeing Tsunade by talking to Shizune - her senior instead, whereas Tobirama had a completely different reaction. Being separated for more than ten years, he still showed that he loved her with all his heart. That cold-looking man even took time to talk with Kakashi - a man who adopted Sakura and Naruto at the age of six and Tsunade to fill himself with what his daughter had gone through, carefully collecting what his Yamanashi liked or disliked. He did not dare to push Sakura to accept him as her father. That man just waited, sending her some sweets and books without a single note.

About three months after he left, one evening not knowing why, he felt an urge to open his old email box. There were a bundle of promotion emails, old school activity announcements, and he caught a familiar name: Sakura.

She wrote him an email saying that she had booked a flight to find him and that she would wait for him in front of his school gate. He did not know how to react with that email, though. Is it a joke? No, this is unmistakably Sakura's recklessness.

Annoying!

The campus was vast and had many gates. Which gate? He sighed. What's done is done. She even did not include the flight info. He quickly sent her a short reply with his phone number and asked her flight info. But there was no reply back. She might be on the plane; he calculated the time. She might get here by sunset. In case she didn't see the email and caught a taxi to his school, some taxi drivers would usually ask clearly about which gate. In that case, Sakura definitely answered the main gate. Just take a phone and wait in front of the main gate, he concluded.

It's annoying!

But it did not just stop there. He had been waiting for one hour after the sunset, and she was nowhere to be seen. The sky already changed to black cover, and the streetlights were on. What if she stood in another gate? He contemplated. Sakura had an outstanding analytical skill; if she did plan to find him, she would carefully search about his school. It must be the main gate. Traffic jam? Might be. Two hours passed. He started to question his theory. He trusted his IQ and never doubted it once in his life. It was super-annoying when he was in a passive situation. He couldn't do anything. This country had a big festival to honour the God of Sound, and during that kind of celebration, everyone had a day-off. Most students had driven to the Sound Square to enjoy their festive night, so not many people were around the university now. Three hours passed — nine o'clock in the evening. Finally, there was a taxi coming and a familiar figure getting out of the car.

Looking at Sakura dragging her luggage, Sasuke was super-annoyed.

"Sasuke!!!" Sakura happily waved her hand.

They were standing under the streetlight; Sakura was happy, and Sasuke was annoyed.

"What are you doing here?" He sternly asked.

Sakura was taken aback.

"I cut all the contacting methods because I want to be left alone, Sakura," Sasuke said. "Why do you just keep doing reckless things like this?"

"I…," Sakura tried to find her words.

"Let me finish first," Sasuke raised his hand as a gesture of demand for silence. "When we were children, you showed interest in Biology, but because I don't like it much, you did not talk about it. Again, around this time in our country is the examination time, isn't it? You must have some exams these days, and you came here. You don't understand the language and culture of this country, and you know mostly nothing about how this country works. Sakura, you are standing on a strong state. Yes, it's rich, and it's a developed country where you can ask the police for help. But everything is not transparent Sakura. Here they allow something our country prohibits and vice versa."

Sakura kept her head down like a child making a big mistake.

"You came here without thinking about the consequences of your action. Have you ever thought about what would have happened if I hadn't opened my old email? Did you plan to stand here waiting for me to pass by during day time? I don't enter the school through this gate, Sakura. How can you…"

"But," Sakura lifted her head, screamed to Sasuke in a broken voice, "but I miss you!"

Sasuke noticed her face all tears and tears. He was taken aback by her statement as well as the tears she was shedding.

"What should I do? I really really miss you! I worry about you. I don't know whether you are healthy or not. I don't know what you are doing. I don't know anything. What am I supposed to do? You just left without saying anything. Everybody told me it was okay, but I can't feel that way. I can't."

He sighed, stepping one step closer, reaching his hand to her luggage, taking it, and turning away. He walked a few more steps and turned his back:

"Why are you still standing there?"

Sakura used her hands to wipe her tears away. Her eyes reddened, and she did not understand what Sasuke was doing.

"Why did you take my luggage?" She sniffed.

"Sakura," Sasuke sighed, "it's night. Do you want to sleep on the street?"

Sakura sniffed, looking at him in a dazed fashion.

"Have you booked the hotel yet?"

Sakura shook her head.

Like what I guessed, Sasuke sighed inwardly.

"So where are you going to stay tonight?"

Sakura looked at him, sniffing.

"You wanna stand there until next morning?"

"You mean," Sakura sniffed, "I don't have to get back to the airport and leave?"

Sasuke turned away, dragging the luggage, walking away.

"Yeah."

When they got to Sasuke's apartment, he told her to have a bath while he made something for her to eat.

"Sasuke," Sakura talked like a child making a mistake.

"What?"

"I did not bring any clothes to wear."

"What???"

"So what's in your luggage?!"

"Wind chime…"

"Wind chime?! You flew a long way here carrying a wind chime only?!"

"No no no," Sakura defended herself, "I did bring my towel, toothbrush, toothpaste,…"

"You brought those things, but you did not bring your clothes?!"

"I remembered I did put them inside but..."

"I'll find some clothes for you."

He turned his back to find clothes for her in his wardrobe. He remembered some pyjamas he hadn't used yet.

"Should I feel fortunate that you didn't forget your passport when you checked in?" Sasuke complained.

And there was a long awkward silence behind him.

He turned his head, trying to keep his composure.

"Don't tell me you…"

Sakura nodded as slowly as she could in the most innocent way.

Sasuke had nothing left to say.


	7. Nectar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Naruto dragged his own body back to the hotel room, falling into the bed, wishing to sleep till next year. His eyes were like a panda’s. He felt he looked like tatters now.

When he woke up, he noticed Kakashi paced back and forth. Terrified, he jumped up.

“Did anything happen?”

“Nothing,” Kakashi looked at Naruto.

“You can’t lie to me,” Naruto became more serious. “What happened?”

“I told you nothing,” Kakashi repeated his words.

“No,” Naruto protested, “it must be something.”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s something.”

“Sakura…”

“Sakura what?!” Naruto screamed, clutching Kakashi’s shirt. “What happened??? You tell me! What happened???”

“It’s nothing…,” Kakashi assured.

“Kakashi!”

“Can you let me finish my sentence?” Kakashi sighed.

“Say it!”

“Sakura hasn’t confirmed that she got the book for me yet,” Kakashi lamented. “My limited version!!!”

Naruto stared at Kakashi.

Silence.

“Are you okay, Naruto?”

“You adopted two children,” Naruto rambled. “One for helping you buy books, another for freaking out with you when you can’t get your book.”

“No,” Kakashi protested, “I adopted two children: One with the thinking I’m a creepy man because of my precious books, another for spilling coffee on my books.”

“You are creepy. That’s the truth. Both of your adopted children think so, not one. You’re wrong again.”

“I adopted two children to hurt my feelings,” Kakashi looked at the ceiling, sighing as dramatically as he could.

“Ya,” Naruto commented with a smirk, “you adopted two children to bathe them with the same shampoo you used for your dogs.”

“It’s good, though,” Kakashi defended himself. “We had a sense of family. I did it with purpose. You were too young to understand my deep noble intention back then.”

“I’m still so young to understand your deep noble intention now, not just in the past,” Naruto barked back. “Sakura would stand on my side. I think she still hasn’t forgotten the day Shisui and Itachi picked Sasuke up at the school gate.”

“Hmmm,” Kakashi feigned thinking hard, “I forgot that day. What happened?”

“Ya ya ya,” Naruto snorted, “I have to report to Sakura, and your book will end up in the wastebasket.”

“No no no,” Kakashi quickly reacted, “you shouldn’t do it to me, Naruto. That is my only hobby. You can’t do this to your old father, Naruto. He’s old, and his adopted children all grew up, flying away from him. That lonely old man only has books by his side in cold winter days.”

“Do you need tissue paper? Your acting skills are just better and better, Kakashi. Oscar owes you a cup.”

Kakashi breathed out a long breath.

“Since when you learnt to bark back this well, Naruto? In the past, you were just an innocent child.”

“Since living with a creepy man having a collection of unbelievable excuses and a feigning-scolding-me-but-giggling-inside-lovely-girl, and then making friend with a high IQ damn boy who usually calls me a moron with logical arguments,” Naruto crossed his arms in front of his chest. “You guys reap what you sow.”

“That said, I was okay with bathing with the same shampoo you used for Pakkun, Kakashi,” Naruto continued. “But Sakura was just a little girl. When Shisui commented that she smelled like a military dog of his old friend’s, Sakura did wanna cry there.”

“But because of that, you two got to know Sasuke!” Kakashi argued. “I did make a great contribution!!!”

“You did,” Naruto barked back. “Did you know what you did? We were seven at that time, and Sasuke was like ‘big brother big brother’ and then ‘my elder brother said my elder brother said’ all the time. He took everything seriously when Itachi appeared, and Shisui commented that infamous comment in front of Itachi. Sasuke indeed thought Sakura and I smelt like dog although he had never smelt that smell before.”

“But you can’t deny you three were brought together because you two were bathed with the same shampoo Pakkun used!”

“Ya…,” Naruto teased him, “just keep going on with your arguments, Kakashi. Who bought sweets to make his adopted daughter forget about that incident? Who? I don’t remember. Who?”

“Who? I don’t remember either.”

“If the shampoo company knows that you use their product made for men to bathe your dogs, they will be shocked to death.”

“But I did support their products for years.”

“And all of your colleagues swore not to buy it because of their impression of doggy smell,” Naruto remembered Shisui had mentioned about this. “Hey, but recently I don’t see you use it.”

“Hm…,” Kakashi tapped his index finger on his chin, “I couldn’t find it in the supermarket, so I changed to another branch.”

“Did the company go bankrupt?”

“It’s impossible,” Kakashi dismissed this idea. “They have a loyal customer like me.”

“Kakashi, what’s the name of the branch?”

“Our Beautiful Life.”

Naruto took out his phone and looked up the information.

“It went bankrupt!” Naruto screamed, showing the screen of his phone to Kakashi. “See? I told you!”

“How can???” Kakashi was totally shocked.

“Let me check its old reviews,” Naruto focused tapping and scrolling on his phone.

“Top reviewer:” Naruto read out loud, “This company’s shampoo smells like dogs.”

“What?!” Kakashi stepped closer to look at the phone. “How can?!”

“Kakashi…,” Naruto’s voice trembled, “do you see the name of the reviewer?”

“IamaBIgKId,” Kakashi murmured. “Don’t tell me…”

“It is Commander Ibiki!!!” Naruto exclaimed. “More than a thousand upvotes. Kakashi, Pakkun is so famous!”

Kakashi lost his words.

“I feel worried for the new branch you are using,” Naruto tapped on Kakashi’ shoulder, like ‘I sympathise with you’.

Kakashi looked like still in shock.

“Back to the main problem, when can we leave this place, Kakashi?” Naruto called for his attention and yawned. “I miss my ramen.”

“Where is your energy?”

“All evaporated,” Naruto lay back on the bed, spreading his arms to both sides. “How can you still be that energetic?”

Kakashi noticed a notification popping up on his phone screen, quickly opening. Naruto looked at him seriously.

“Is there anything new?”

Kakashi held his phone close to his chest, jumping, exclaiming happily: “Sakura bought the book for me already!!!”

Naruto didn’t want to say anything else. It seemed the book helped Kakashi forget about the shampoo.

Naruto and Kakashi were on the plane back to their beloved country. Naruto had had a sufficient sleep before, so now he was energetic while Kakashi had to sleep to replenish his energy. Naruto put his phone down, stopping playing game, turning his head to look at the old man sitting next to him. He and Sakura didn’t understand why he adopted them both.

He and Sakura didn’t get used to being adopted. They both heard so many terrible stories from other kids in the orphanage. Famous people loved to come there to take pictures, throwing some money to buy a good reputation, and then they left the child with emotional problems. One little sister, five years older than them, was very good at telling stories. Every day when some strange people came and took pictures, she told them the same story that she had told with other strangers. They would praise her, and she asked them whether they would come back here again. That little sister told Sakura and Naruto not to believe what they said because she hadn’t seen anyone of those coming back. Other kids tried to behave very well when someone came with the intention of adopting one of them, and mostly they would be sent back to the orphanage again, highly vulnerable to different psychological disorders. There was a TV in the orphanage, and Naruto watched cartoons there. Once there was a scene of a child kicking the door of the house as a declaration of freedom after a fight with his parents, and Naruto got confused. Like a bird wished to be a fish, and a fish was tired of being a fish. And why did people have children when they couldn’t take care of them? Another brother in his orphanage did have a mother, and she did come to visit yearly. That brother was left in front of the orphanage gate. He accidentally heard a discussion of people who worked there that the mother was a drug addict.

When being adopted by Kakashi, they were both scared rather than happy, behaving as well as possible, and always reminding themselves of the possibility of being returned. No expectation. No disappointment.

Although Kakashi looked like he didn’t care anything else in the world, and he bathed his adopted children with the shampoo he used for his dogs, he could cook very well. He did try to come home on time to cook dinner for them both. Naruto remembered about a month after being adopted, he broke a dish, and he was terrified. At that time, he noticed all colour drained from Sakura’s face. Kakashi assured them that it was okay so many times. The man sleeping next to him here didn’t know how to take care of children. He didn’t know what to say and how to deal with them. Some months later, he started to find his words. He told them a lot of things, some of which only Sakura understood. Before they went to bed, Sakura told him that all he said meant nothing except he did care for them.

“You don’t need to understand all of them, Naruto,” Sakura said when sleeping next to him. “You can feel it, right?”

He could.

Around six months later, they started to feel a sense of family, and it was the official commencement of a perfectly dysfunctional family. Sakura loved to scream at beautiful things, and he loved to shout at super-cool things. He freaked out because of a cockroach, and Sakura used a flip flop to kill it. They started to laugh at Kakashi’s stupid excuses, and he created more of them. Together with his dogs, they made a mess waiting for Kakashi to come back home to clean.

But this man was serious and strict when the situation required.

When he worked at the police station, there was a mission he ignored the command of higher officers as he believed he could do better, resulting in the hostage was nearly killed. Kakashi suspended him and angrily scolded him right when they were back at the police station.

“Do you think you are a hero in the movie? In those kinds of movies, they show you a protagonist is a person who is always right. They don’t listen to other people, and they are right. All of the other people in the movie are just like his obstacles. Let me tell you, Naruto. The movie shows you people driving over the speed limit, not stopping at the red traffic light, but they look so cool, right? Don’t you know why? Because no one dares to show you that person causes an accident. You ignore the command without thinking of consequences. Being flexible is different from messing up. There were your teammates after you, Naruto. Have you ever thought of what would have happened to them when you didn’t follow the plan discussed before?”

He didn’t talk to him during the time they were driving back home. When they got back home, he just went straight to the kitchen to cook dinner.

“Kakashi, I’m sorry.”

He could hear Kakashi taking a deep breath.

“As the Chief of Police, I must punish you, Naruto. But as your…your…father, I can only say that people do make mistakes. But if you repeat the same mistakes again and again, it is stupidity. Go have a bath. We’ll have dinner.”

Kakashi wasn’t used to being called father, and he and Sakura were so scared at those first days of being adopted, so he asked them just to call him by his name.

You know…

This man is a gift from heaven.


	8. The Moon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Naruto called Sasuke for a ramen. Coincidentally, Sasuke had just come back from his work.

“How are you doing, Sasuke?” Naruto asked while waiting for his ramen.

“Great.”

“Why do I sense something not right?”

“My uncle had a talk with me when I was on my business trip.”

“Which uncle?”

“Madara.”

“It’s normal for an uncle to talk with his nephew, right?”

“No, it isn’t.”

“So what’s it?”

“He asked me a very private matter.”

“What’s the private matter?”

“It’s the private matter.”

“I know it’s the private matter,” Naruto complained. “But what’s the private matter?”

“It’s private,” Sasuke emphasised on the word “private”.

“So why did you tell me the story at the beginning?”

Sasuke sighed.

“He asked me when Sakura and I planned to have children.”

“What?” Naruto was surprised. “Why did he care such a private matter?”

“I don’t know,” Sasuke frowned. “I’m not the heir to fulfil such duty. He was indeed a nuisance now, loving to phone me to talk about children and children. I can’t block him since he is my uncle. He will make a mess with my mother if I do so. I feel sceptical of all the reasons he provided. I did call Itachi to ask what was going on, but Itachi said that my uncle was just getting to the age of wishing to have children around.”

“Old people love children.”

“But it’s Madara we’re talking about,” Sasuke tapped his fingers on the table. “I don’t trust Itachi in this matter either. And…Madara seems obsessed with one problem.”

“What problem?”

“He seems to care too much about whether Sakura and I include children in our future plan,” Sasuke said, thoughtfully. “He talked like I didn’t want children.”

“You do?”

“What?” Sasuke frowned.

“Do you want children?” Naruto asked. “I know Sakura loves children, but you don’t look like you love children.”

“As long as it’s Sakura’s child, I’ll love it.”

“You must be careful with your words, Sasuke!” Naruto looked around. “We’re eating on the street.”

“What?” Sasuke frowned.

“Next day maybe you will be on the front page of the newspaper with the title like ‘Uchiha Sasuke Does Not Accept His Wife’s Child as His Child’.”

“Which newspaper has time to write stupid things like that?”

“Do you know that you’re a man of rumours by birth?”

“A man of rumours?”

“When we were at school, there was a girl confessing her love to you, you said no and left, and the next day the rumour you were cold-hearted spread all the school. When we joined a strategy competition, a member in our team suggested to make a dangerous move as it seemed that was the only solution, you dismissed it with the reason that we couldn’t effort if we failed while the chance of winning was too small, and the next day the rumour you insulted your teammate spread all the school,” Naruto listed. “There was once we were in the same basketball team, and one important member suddenly felt a bit hurt on his left knee, but that was a final round, and he didn’t wanna affect others. You looked at him suspiciously and asked him to leave. He disagreed, and you scolded him that he would affect the team’s performance. Next day another rumour spread like wildfire that you were a bad friend.”

“Then?”

“There was a newspaper loving you so dearly that after you got married, they printed a photo of your entering a hotel where a famous actress had just entered and said you were having an extramarital affair.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“I mean you really read those stupid newspapers?”

“Accidentally,” Naruto defended himself, “there was a case another team handled, and they needed some info there. I don’t know exactly what, but I passed by and saw your name in the headline.”

“Then?”

“You asked me then?” Naruto exclaimed. “Everybody believed that, Sasuke.”

“Then?” Sasuke took a sip of ice tea. “Do I have to care about all the rumours around me? If they like to twist my words, let them do it. The rumours they are spreading cost themselves time while I can use that time to invest in important people and things. Besides, they even don’t affect a single penny I make. I don’t live my life to please anyone. I don’t care what they think and write about me, Naruto. While they spend time discussing and spreading wrong information about me, I don’t even know who they are.”

“You’ve talked a lot today.”

“Because you are a moron,” Sasuke smirked. “You need an explanation in detail.”

“Sasuke!” Naruto laughed. “Tomorrow there will be a title ‘Uchiha Sasuke Insults His Best Friend’.”

Sasuke smirked.

People had different faces in front of different people. As Uchiha Sasuke, he wasn’t very good at expressing his feelings. He stayed aloof from most of the people. He was stern when talking with his staff, giving a clear and on point comment, evaluating everything based on a set of strict criteria. He was comfortable to share his thoughts a bit more when enjoying a drink with Naruto. When he was confused, he talked to Itachi. When he spent his time with his wife, he tended to keep silent to listen to her rambling. When he talked with his parents, he would straighten his back. And recently…when he saw Madara, he wanted to kick him out of his office, but no, he couldn’t do that.

The food was served. Naruto started enjoying his ramen, which he had missed so much. Sometimes he told random stories, knowing that Sasuke wouldn’t answer. No talking while eating was a rule Sasuke learnt at a young age. Sakura used to comment that Uchiha men she knew had an elegant manner when eating, even in the way they held chopsticks while Naruto felt it was super-boring.

After finished their meals, they ordered drinks.

“Back to what you asked me,” Sasuke calmly explained, “we’ve married for just six months. Sakura is a doctor. Yes, she is talented in her field, but she does need to gain as much experience as she can. People keep moving, Naruto.”

“On the night before my wedding, my parents had a talk with me. That talk was as serious as the talk before I went abroad. My father only mentioned one thing. He told me that I had to remember that I would be a husband and maybe a father and that it would be completely different from what I had experienced before. Until now, I still can feel it. It is a sense of responsibility. It is not bathing in love like two birds cuddling from day to night; not to mention, that’s not my style.”

“We have to have jobs and our own friends. A person’s life cannot just move around another person. Just like what I am sharing with you is not what I will say with Sakura and vice versa,” Sasuke continued. “I don’t know what love really is, but I know romantic stories on TV are not my type, like one moves to the right, and the other moves to the same direction. The one who relies on others will often feel a sense of inferiority, and it’s unfair for that one to feel so. To be in a relationship, you have to have a sense of equality. That sense is not provided by anyone but you yourself. Of course, I’m willing to push Sakura in the wheelchair when we’re old or when she’s sick, but that’s a different story.”

“Got it.”

“I always feel I owe Itachi, Naruto,” Sasuke lost in his own thought. “If Sakura gave up her career just because of me, we would not end up together. I’d love to have a person to stand by my side but not look at my back. Sakura excels things I don’t know, and I know what she doesn’t. During those three years, I know Itachi was the one who stayed by Sakura’s side, giving her a lot of advice to move forwards and to stand by her own feet. Itachi is a person who is very clever when giving suggestions and encouragements while I am quite straight-forward. I’m proud that she is devoted to her job, about which she has confidence, and I respect her for that. At least I know if I die, she still can continue to live her own life with her friends and her responsibility as a doctor, not committing suicide like those stupid romantic movies.”

“You’re talking like…” Naruto joked, “Itachi took three years to water a flower. It bloomed. You came back and plucked it hahaha.”

“You should consider being an author,” Sasuke commented. “Such an imagination shouldn’t be wasted.”

“Hm…,” Naruto feigned thinking hard, “let author Naruto give you a comment. You two are like…you waited for Sakura to stand on her feet, and Sakura waited for you to be ready to be involved in a relationship. This…author Naruto called…everything coming at the right time will be extraordinary.”

“Back, Naruto, you flew to the moon already.”

“Haha,” Naruto laughed, “the Earth can’t exist without Naruto. He needs to fly back.”

“To talk about Sakura, she uses 200% of her brain in the hospital, and 0% outside,” Sasuke sighed. “Sakura is still childish sometimes, to be honest. How can you ask a child to take care of a child? In the hospital, she was a calm excellent reliable doctor that everyone can trust. Outside the hospital, it’s hopeless. I’ll be grateful if no one tricks her or takes advantage of her kindness. Sakura can’t control her emotions outside the hospital either, resulting in all reckless actions.”

“Haha,” Naruto laughed. “I know it. It’s just like when she took a flight to find you. It is an amazing story!”

“It took me days to find out she left without noticing anyone,” Sasuke sighed.

“Your biological father-in-law hates you, don’t you know?” Naruto laughed. “Kakashi told me he received a call from Tobirama asking him whether Sakura was staying at Kakashi’s place. Kakashi was totally confused. I have to admit Sasuke…your biological father-in-law has an acute sense of noticing anything abnormal.”

“Tobirama looked like he wanted to chop off my head when he found Sakura in my apartment.”

“Oh my stomach!” Naruto burst out laughing. “Every time I recall that scene, I can’t stop laughing.”

“I’m not coming here to hear you laugh at my story, moron.”

But Naruto was still laughing and kept telling jokes.

They knew there would be no offence.

Sasuke looked at the waning moon hanging on the sky. It looked like it was always changing its shape, but its original shape did never change. Sasuke knew that he met those precious people who could see the original shape of him. He always knew it.

Naruto was still laughing and telling jokes.

The moon poured its shiver light all over the land.


	9. The Bridge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Uchiha Itachi received a phone call from his brother complaining about Madara. He couldn’t say it was him where the origin of the problem began, so while chuckling behind the curtain, he advised his brother to forget what Madara said and that their uncle was approaching the stage of an old man loving to have children around. Sasuke was sceptical with what he said, but he didn’t pursue it any further.

He thought Sakura and Sasuke’s future children would be adorable. They would call him uncle, running around in the Uchiha manor’s garden. He would teach them to grow flowers, and they would share sweets if those children inherited Sakura’s sweet tooth.

At first, he did plan to have a child with Yoko, but he wanted to observe everything in its entirety before making the decision. Such careful observation lasted a year. A baby weighed much heavier than its actual weight. Life was just as such. The lighter, the heavier. Those not even having a weight were the heaviest things that a man could barely bear. Although many people said he was a selfless person, he thought he was greedy and selfish. Because he didn’t want to bother the elders, he agreed to drag a woman to his life. Sometimes he felt guilty as if he had destroyed that young woman’s life. She should have had a life like Sakura, ending with her beloved husband.

He thought his personality would fit the married life quite well. Two people who did not love each other could still share sympathy. If she didn’t love him, that would be great. She would not be hurt because he didn’t love her. They could stay friends until the day they died. His personalities would never hurt anyone. A life without romantic love but with a little sympathy and full respect would be okay.

But he was wrong. 

“You are such a foolish little cousin, Itachi.”

Uchiha Itachi, the prodigy of the Uchiha clan, was labelled as ‘foolish’. If he remembered correctly, only two people called him ‘foolish’. The first was, of course, Shisui; the second surprisingly was Senju Tobirama. Shisui called him like that mostly out of affection. Although they were cousins, Shisui understood him more than anyone. Shisui taught him many things, spending time talking about the mundane life, confessing confusion towards the world, and sharing their life perspectives in the backyard. No one loved such a tedious activity. The word foolish from Tobirama, however, was different. He only said it once. Firmly. Coldy. With a little pity floating and hanging in the air. And then he left the pond where they had been standing on the opposite sides. That was the night of his brother’s engagement. It was uncanny feeling that Tobirama talked to him in such a manner when he had never talked with him before. He assumed that Tobirama was a bit drunk, but his uncle Izuna told him Tobirama never consumed alcohol since he was a man always carrying a suspicious attitude, never once allowing anything to affect his acumen.

Shisui had a mission during the time from when the decision of his marriage was made to when the wedding was held. No one gave Shisui the news, and when he got back from his mission, knowing that his foolish cousin had got married, Shisui was furious. That was the first time in Itachi’s life that he had seen a calm joyful person like Shisui got exasperated.

He assured that everything would be alright, but Shisui bitterly laughed at what he said.

“There will be one day that you can’t bear the weight you are overwhelming yourself anymore, Itachi. When that day comes, you’ll break yourself, and all the balance you are trying to build for years will collapse. You should stop before it’s too late, Itachi.”

He thought married couples broke up because they couldn’t befriend with each other, so Yoko and he would be fine. They might not love each other but could still befriend. After one year of marriage, he realized he made a poor decision since being friends was not that easy. He forgot it. People needed years to build a friendship, but they might only need attraction or chemistry to start a relationship. 

Shisui was no doubt a very kind and generous man, but he somehow didn’t like Yoko. Itachi felt it was quite strange, though. To him, Yoko was just a woman that accepted a marriage without love, following her father’s wish. If he couldn’t give that poor woman love, and now that he even couldn’t befriend with her either because of his wrong assumption, dragging her to his boring life under some strict rules of the clan that an outsider might feel too much, he could give her what she and her father wanted at the very beginning. To Shisui, she was an actress. Itachi did know she acted, but it didn’t make him think her as bad as Shisui did. She just wanted to make her life easier.

Itachi felt guilty as though he tied her down.

At last, Itachi the selfish man hoped his child to grow up with a loving mother; however, his wife seemed unable to fulfil that position. He dragged a woman into this mess, and he shouldn’t drag anyone else in.

A mistake should be made only once. Itachi would not allow it to occur twice.

What would break him, though? Shisui’s words sometimes haunted him. He was a calm and rational person, so what could make him lose his control. He didn’t attach to anything or anyone in the world. Things came, he welcomed. Things left, he let things go. He thought he would peacefully say goodbye with this world without regrets or emotional attachment if he died tomorrow. But he had to admit that there were nights he couldn’t sleep because those words kept echoing in his head like a warning.

Well, then, if it’s to break himself, let it be; it will be no problem as long as no one is involved.

Sasuke’s child will be his next heir.


	10. Inception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

“Come over here, Sakura,” Yoko waved her hand, “and have a look at this dress.”

“It looks graceful!” Sakura exclaimed. “Why don’t you try it on in the fitting room?”

“I’ll try it later,” Yoko suggested, “but why don’t you choose anything?”

“I have a lot of dresses at home,” Sakura explained, “so I don’t think I need to buy more. Besides, I don’t join so many parties to wear them.”

Yoko sighed and said, “Being a doctor is very tiring, right? You should spend some time on yourself. To have time with you is so hard.” She joked. “It’s like I have to book an appointment with my doctor.”

“Haha,” Sakura laughed, “you see, doctor Sakura is spending her precious time with you now.”

Yoko laughed.

“But if you don’t have much time,” Yoko wondered, “how can you have time to choose your dresses? You said you had many of them at home. Is it an excuse not to buy clothes with me?”

“No,” Sakura smiled, “I used to care a lot for my appearance, though. Women always love to be beautiful; who doesn’t? But since I started taking Medicine, I don’t have much time, and now as a doctor, sleep is too precious for me. I’m not an elegant and mild lady like you, and my living style is a mess: waking up late and rushing to the hospital, but I love it though. Those dresses I mentioned were bought by Mikoto.”

“Mikoto?” Yoko looked surprised, and then her voice trailed off. “I don’t know she has time for this.”

“Yoko… What’s the matter?” Sakura said with a disturbed look on her face. “You don’t look so happy.”

“Nothing,” Yoko’s mouth curved into a sadly beautiful smile. “It’s nothing, Sakura. It just surprises me.”

“Why?”

“Sasuke must really love you,” Yoko commented with a soft tone.

“What makes you say so?” Sakura blushed.

“Mikoto bought you dresses.”

“Why do they relate?” Sakura looked puzzled.

“You’re living in a beautiful world, Sakura,” Yoko’s voice was still sadly soft. “Don’t you know that a husband’s attitude to his wife plays a significant role in the mother’s attitude towards her daughter-in-law? Mikoto treats you very well, which proves that Sasuke not only respects you but also loves you.”

“I haven’t heard this kind of argument before.”

“At least in Mikoto’s case, I’m sure about it. You’re so lucky.”

“Yoko…” Sakura started to sense something not right.

“Nothing, nothing,” Yoko laughed it off. “I’m just…quite jealous of you. Mikoto never buys me anything. She must be displeased of me. I just make a bad heir’s wife.”

“No,” Sakura protested, “Mikoto is not that kind of person, Yoko. She buys me things because she knows I’m a total mess. You’re such an elegant lady; you can handle any formal party really well, so Mikoto doesn’t need to worry much about this.”

“You’re so innocent, Sakura,” Yoko commented. “To be innocent like you, there must be someone who shelters you.”

“I know I’m quite stupid outside the hospital,” Sakura argued, “but I’m not sheltered. I…”

“You know,” Yoko cut it off, and then nostalgically recalled her memories, “I fell in love with Itachi when I first met him in the university.”

Sakura stopped talking.

“Itachi is a gentle man with everyone; he excels at everything; he is handsome. A lot of girls liked him back then, and I was just one among them. It was quite lucky that I had some classes with him.”

Yoko took a deep breath. Sakura noticed her eyes fall somewhere far away.

“I approached Itachi following my father’s order.”

“What?” Sakura was taken aback. “What do you mean by following your father’s order?”

“My father is an ambitious man,” Yoko explained. “He thought if I could get married to Itachi, he could get huge benefits from that.”

“Yoko…”

“Don’t…” Yoko firmly said, “please don’t look at me that way, Sakura. I don’t need pity from anyone.”

Sakura bit her lips into a line, keeping her head down, silent.

“But,” Yoko suddenly talked with a bright tone, drawing back Sakura’s attention. “But I love Itachi, Sakura. I’m grateful for what my father asked me. Without it, I would have never found the love of my life and ended up with him. Just a thought of being his wife makes me feel like I’m dreaming now.”

“I knew it,” Sakura happily said. “What happened next?”

Yoko blushed, “I tried to court him.”

“I really want to see Itachi’s reaction!”

“He was like nothing happened,” Yoko continued to recall her story. “It took me four years to court him.”

“But it was finally successful, wasn’t it?” Sakura smiled happily.

“It was,” Yoko smiled, “sadly successful, but I’m happy.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Just…I just…” Yoko hesitated, trying to find her words, “I think I’m quite greedy. I just hope a bit more, Sakura. I hope Itachi would spend time for me more. I made up my mind a long time ago that I didn’t need Itachi to reciprocate my love and that as long as I could stay by his side, I would be happy. But I’m greedy now.”

“Yoko…”

“A person needs to know her position, right? I’m the wife of the heir of the Uchiha clan who is super busy. I should know my position. Just a little wish, Sakura, no more.”

“Does Itachi…” Sakura didn’t finish her question.

“You wanna ask whether Itachi loves me or not, right?”

Sakura slightly nodded.

“No,” Yoko bluntly answered, “but like I said, Sakura. I’m happy. Just a bit greedy sometimes.”

Sakura didn’t know how to respond to Yoko’s story. The elegant lady in front of her sometimes looked sad and sometimes looked happy. It was a mixture of complicated feelings. People complaining too much about their lives would make others feel tired. People confessing too many bad things in their lives would make others feel heavy. But when a beautiful lady smiled at her misfortune, it would wrench other people’s hearts.

It did wrench Sakura’s heart.

Is it true that Itachi doesn’t love this lady? Sakura asked herself. 

She was confused. Itachi is no doubt a very very kind man. And like Sasuke, no one can force him to do things he doesn’t want, so why did he marry her without love? Sakura was confused.

Kakashi never forced her to do things she didn’t like. He was a care-free man who believed every child had own strength which needed to be found out by giving that child time to experiment with things and later nurtured under appropriate educational background with full focus. He just simply threw Naruto and her to his old primary school, never scolding them once because of bad scores, but being asked, he would say he never expected anything from them, except one requirement to care for each other and try their best. As the Chief of Police, he had seen so many terrible things in humanity, but he still believed in humanity. His one and only belief was that a kind child would always have a good life. No matter how people nowadays were cynical about everything, Kakashi stood firm in his belief. A kind-hearted person would meet another kind-hearted person. Birds of a feather flock together. Life might be hard, and that was the reason why kindness should be protected at all cost. About Tobirama, he lost his child so long that when he knew his child alive, he always thought of a way to compensate for her.

Sakura had never experienced Yoko’s situation.

And she felt hurt for this poor woman.


	11. Crossing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Sakura went back home thinking about what she heard in the hospital today. The nurses discussed a complication of a divorce, and Sakura overheard it. It seemed someone among them was in the process of getting a divorce. All complained of its incredible complexity, and especially, all advised the nurse (maybe the one who was the petitioner) to be cautious of the husband.

So Sakura turned on her laptop and searched for a divorce paper. And she started to feel a big problem. There were many stages and issues to deal with, such as property and debt or child custody. She thought at least there was a form for the petitioner to fill in, but she saw many kinds of divorce petition forms.

Just print out one for a look, she thought.

She even tried filling it and…gave up. Sakura could read medical books with great interest but felt hopeless understanding a divorce paper.

Sasuke told her that he would come home tonight, but he was nowhere to be seen here.

It must be late a bit. Sakura supposed she was the one who came home late… It turned out Sasuke might be stuck with something to deal with and couldn’t go home as early as he said.

Sakura yawned. She entered the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, took out some vegetables, washed them, peeling this, and chopping that in advance. After finished cooking rice, she withdrew to her bedroom for some sleep. Kakashi cooked so well that Naruto and Sakura had an excellent eating skill but a terrible cooking one. When she seriously learnt how to cook herself, she was preparing for Medicine exams. She did know basic cooking skills, but her cooking level was forever nothing compared with Sasuke’s. Sometimes she felt this world was unfair. Although she didn’t have much time, she learnt cooking very earnestly, supposing that it was victorious until she ate food made by Itachi - a genius who mastered everything and Sasuke, who started to cook by himself when he studied abroad. When she took a flight to where Sasuke lived, it had been about three months since he left, which meant Sasuke just cooked for three months, and the food he cooked for her was so delicious. Sakura felt desperate. Her only consolation was that she could make a perfect sunny sided egg which Itachi tried for months for years for decades but failed miserably. This, Shisui once stated, is proof that the world didn’t give the genius everything! She could still hear the laughter echoing in her head.

Just prepare everything in advance and wait for Sasuke back in case he was late like what he said, she thought. Of course, she would be the one who did the washing up.

When Sakura woke up, she heard the sound of cooking from the kitchen. Hmm…and the smell…

During the dinner, she felt Sasuke was uncannily silent. It was expected that he didn’t talk when eating, but this silence was different.

When preparing to go to bed, she still could feel Sasuke was staring at her. Not being able to keep silent anymore, she turned her back and asked, “Sasuke, is there anything wrong?”

“Hm.”

“Hm?”

“Sakura,” Sasuke’s voice became grave, making her straighten her back, “we’ve married for six months, right?”

She nodded.

“Do you have anything unhappy with our marriage?”

She gaped at him.

“No…nothing,” Sakura slowly shook her head, “what’s the problem, Sasuke?”

Sasuke scrutinised her face.

“No,” he answered, “just go to bed.”

“What…”

But Sasuke already went to bed and turned off the light, left her confused about a whole situation.

“Sakura,” Sasuke called her name, “why are you constantly shifting on the bed?”

“Sasuke,” she talked in the darkness, “in what case does a man marry a woman without love?”

“Hm.”

“Don’t hm me!”

“I don’t know,” he said, “people have their own reason to do things.”

“Do you think that it’s unfair and very ruthless with the woman?”

“What is going on in your head, Sakura?” Sasuke chuckled. “Why does this matter matter you?”

“I just…heard some gossips in the hospital.”

She couldn’t say it was Yoko’s problem bothering her. Yoko trusted her with her sincere disclosure. She couldn’t mention her.

“Uh?”

“I mean,” Sakura hesitated, “a woman gets hurt a lot in an unhappy marriage.”

“Uh.”

“And divorce is not simple.”

“Uh.”

“Don’t uh me!”

“You talked here and there and asked your husband to answer you,” Sasuke commented. “In the end, what is your main question?”

“I asked before. Do you think it’s cruel to marry a woman without love?”

“I can’t say yes or no definitely, Sakura,” Sasuke contemplated. “But one thing for sure, the man suffers.”

“The man suffers?”

“Of course,” he replied, calmly and firm, “you women always think men like heartless creatures, but we do have feelings, Sakura. A marriage is built by two people, so it is two people’s responsibility if it collapses. An unhappy marriage must bring both unhappiness, not one. So my answer can only be that the man does suffer.”

“But,” Sakura raised another question, “what if the woman loves the man so much?”

“Then?”

“What then?”

“I told you, Sakura,” Sasuke explained. “Men have feelings. This society acts like they require men to bottle up their feelings, and crying is the act of weakness; it’s a terrible standard, Sakura. Why must we love a woman just because she loves us?”

“I don’t get it.”

“Sakura,” Sasuke found his words, “a man has his feelings. Why does he need to betray his own feelings just because the world says that there is a very kind stunning woman who desperately loves you? Why don’t you love her? Such kind of argument is disgusting. You love someone, and you give out your love voluntarily. It is supposed to be a selfless act. You have the right to give a try with that person to see whether you can end up with him, but arguing like the other is owing to you because you love him is selfish. If you follow that argument that I should not hurt any women because of their desperate love, I would be a husband of hundreds of women.”

Sakura became silent.

“How much does the man suffer?” She asked after a long silence.

“As much as a woman who is supposed to suffer in an unhappy marriage.”

“Is there any way to end it?”

“Divorce,” bluntly said Sasuke.

“But divorce is not simple.”

“Well,” Sasuke indifferently replied, “just look at it simply, Sakura. You spent years to learn Medicine to become a doctor. If you really want to get something done, you have to pay something.”

“But people usually say women are more on the disadvantage side.”

“Hm,” Sasuke considered his words, “I can’t cover all the situations in this world, and you have to give me a clear picture of what is going on to judge. But do you notice something that people will tend to stand up for the woman when it comes to divorce? But the law is the law. In some ways, I think you should have a job to support yourself, which will help you a lot. You have things people can’t take away, so even when you leave someone, you still have it. Yes, it’s complicated, but to make a big change is never easy in any aspect or any way. In some cases, the woman can’t leave her man because there is something she doesn’t want to lose.”

“Like a child?”

“We have the law for that, but it’s not perfect, but it’s what it is. We never know what truly happens in a relationship except for the couple themselves. All of the things put on the table in front of the judge are just a small part of a marriage. But about the child, it’s unfair to leave a child to witness parents arguing or to be torn between in a cold war,” Sasuke commented. “You learnt psychology, not me, Sakura. All in all, you see, the woman has to have the ability to support herself first, and this will make things look much easier to breathe. I know there are many trash men out there, but what I’m arguing is that everyone shares responsibility when committing to a relationship, especially marriage.”

“You men are selfish, women say that.”

“You women are making a mess out of nothing, men say that.”

“Sasuke…,” she complained.

“Don’t I need to remind you that I got an A+ in Debate while a student who always aced all the exams like you only got a C?”

“You can’t use my score to argue,” Sakura protested.

“So,” Sasuke chuckled, “you want to review the logical fallacies with me now?”

“I don’t want to talk with you anymore,” she turned her back to him.

“Good,” Sasuke said, “we can go to sleep now finally.”

“Sasuke!”

“Sakura,” he sighed, “you’ll have your first clan reunion tomorrow. You need a sleep to survive it.”

It was silent for a while that Sasuke thought she already fell asleep.

“Sasuke…”

Sasuke sighed.

“What’ll happen if I make a mess tomorrow?”

“It’s not serious like you imagine. It’s just a reunion where people hang around chatting with others in the clan,” he explained. “A way to maintain the connection among clan members. Everybody’s busy, and this is one of the rare opportunities to gather. You just need to be yourself, talk with people you’re interested in.”

“So Shisui will be there.”

“I heard so,” he replied. “Those who work in the Special Forces have to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, so they’re usually allowed to take a break after a mission. Anyway, Uncle Izuna will allow him to have a break on this day.”

“Huh?”

“Uncle Izuna is Shisui’s commander.”

“Your clan is huge, Sasuke.”

“Yours too.”

“I know nothing about mine and yours.”

“It’s unnecessary.”

“I don’t know exactly what my dad does makes some people call him Lord Second.”

“If he doesn’t explain to you, let it be,” he continued. “Also, you can chat with your uncle tomorrow if you like.”

“My uncle?”

“Hashirama.”

“But it’s Uchiha clan reunion.”

“He was invited to keep Madara accompanied.”

“Uncle Madara is not a kid.”

“Hope that you’ll still think so when you talk with him.”

“Huh?”

“Can we sleep now?”

“I can’t sleep.”

“…”

“I still feel energetic.”

“Do you want me to make you a bit less energetic?”

“Who are you???” Sakura suddenly jumped up. “Where is my pure introvert husband???”

“…”

“Somebody spoils you, Sasuke!”

“…”

“That’s supposed to be my line!”

“…”

“You…”

“Our mom will pick you up tomorrow morning.”

“…”

“Very early.”

“…”

“You’ll make a mess tomorrow if you don’t have a sufficient sleep.”

“…”

“A whole clan is waiting for you.”

“…”

“Do you want to go to sleep now?”

“…” Sakura lay back.

Finally, he inwardly sighed. You have to use pressure to motivate Sakura to do something. How strange!


	12. Yamanashi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

1.

It was 4 in the morning.

"Sasuke!" Sakura hurriedly called. "Do you see my laptop?"

"In the living room," he replied. "But why do you need to bring your laptop?"

"We have to stay one night there, right?"

"Uh."

"So I have to bring it," Sakura ran to the living room, "just in case."

"Tch."

"Sasuke!"

"Hm?"

"Do you see the paper I put on my laptop?" She at least needed to throw it into the wastebasket.

"Is there a paper there?" Sasuke calmly replied. "I don't remember seeing it."

"Really?" Sakura rubbed her hair.

"Mom is waiting for you in the car."

"I know, I know."

"Sasuke!"

"Hm?"

"Are you sure I don't need to care much about the clothes I'm wearing?"

"You'll have to wear the clan apparel at the shrine," Sasuke answered. "Mom will take care of that. But you must bring some warm clothes with you. It's frigid at night."

Today was Mid-Autumn — the most important festival to the Uchihas. They would gather at the Uchiha village on the plateau to celebrate it. That place was like a small village, enough for the whole clan to be back. The Uchihas valued clan traditions, which meant although they were busy around the year, they had planned to spare the time for this festival.

Most Uchihas did come there three days earlier to adjust themselves with jet lag and altitude sickness. They did maintain hiking mountain habit, but as what our Madara the legend said, workaholics were hopeless. Our Madara the legend, who understood his great father in tears some years after his father died, always reminded himself of the mission to save those hopeless Uchihas, which was so heavy that only Madara the golden forever single man could handle. To emphasise on the clan traditions was a way to force those hopeless Uchihas to have a break.

To drag Madara the legend to this festival was indeed a pain, for our Madara the legend always complained of seeing too much golden light making his eyes hurt. His brother Izuna once recommended his beloved elder brother to see a doctor to check whether his eyes had problems. This pained Madara! Even his dear younger brother didn't understand him. He missed his father so much. How could a person you didn't understand the most turn out to be the only person who seemed to understand you? Madara lamented.

Izuna even had a serious discussion with Mikoto to find out what was happening with their big brother, but it seemed hopeless.

"The best way is just to believe he can see such golden light," Mikoto concluded. "Big brother had been working for the clan devotedly too long. He might be stressed."

"So stressed that he can see the golden light out of nowhere," Izuna complained.

"He babysat us for years," Mikoto noted, "so I think if accepting his golden light theory makes him happy, why don't we do that? Father gave me the heir title without a proper explanation, resulting in our brother's big fuss which pushed him to leave the clan for another whole year. And then he came back with the most dysfunctional organisation Akatsuki. If you insist on arguing with him his golden light theory, we might have to deal with another organisation called Golden Light."

So Izuna and Mikoto secretly consented to add one more criterion in the list of how to take care of their big brother to reciprocate what he had been doing for them. Sometimes they treated him like a big kid. Madara the legend never knew this. His Izuna and Mikoto finally understood him a little bit. Madara the legend was touched to tears.

At this time of the year, it was sunny with about 9 hours of sunshine each day on the plateau. The temperature was around 17°C during daytime and reached the lowest of 2°C at night. 

Mid-Autumn was called as the clan reunion, which was not as formal as clan meeting. This was a festival lasting for two days for clan members to have time to relax with some activities and competitions.

2.

When Sakura and Sasuke finally got in the car, Mikoto asked the chauffeur to drive them to a store. It was still dark, and the roads were yet shined under the streetlights. The car moved silently on the broad highway with barely anyone to be seen.

Arriving, Mikoto took Sakura out of the car, leaving Sasuke and Fugaku there. She knocked on the door of a small antique-styled store, waiting.

"Lady Mikoto," the old woman opened the door, happily when seeing Mikoto.

"It's been a while since I visited here, right?" Mikoto smiled. "How are you doing?"

"Great," the old woman laughed, "this old body is still healthy and agile."

"Sakura," Mikoto waved her hand, "come here."

Sakura stepped forwards, respectfully nodded as a greeting to the old lady. From the way Mikoto talked with her, Sakura could guess she was not an ordinary tailor. Also, a person outside the clan would call Mikoto ‘Lady Uchiha’ instead of ‘Lady Mikoto’. 

"This is Sasuke's wife, right?"

Again, she directly called Sasuke's name.

"Your mind is still lucid," Mikoto smiled.

The old woman reached out her hand to hold Sakura's hand, tapped on her hand lightly, and said:

"These old eyes witnessed your wedding with Sasuke," her voice was resonant. "I did think of a day like today when you came here to try your clothes."

Having joined my wedding, Sakura inwardly analysed, means she is an Uchiha.

She gave Sakura the apparel, and a young girl guided her to the fitting room and helped her with the apparel.

This apparel had many underwear layers, and the main ones was a long sleeve high collar silk shirt with a skirt. The sleeve was in the shape of a tube which was bigger when spreading to the hand. The shirt's length was up to the knees. It was made with two layers of two different colours with the hems of the sleeves and the shirt itself in a darker tone. The long skirt of which the hem attached with folds was accompanied with the form spreading as it went down to the ankles. At the back of the shirt was the uchiwa symbol. Her dress was in very light pink with cherry blossom patterns in white and the hems in dusty rose.

When she stepped out, the old woman smiled and nodded in agreement.

"My eyes and skills are still good."

"Sakura," Mikoto exclaimed, "I know that this colour palette will suit you."

The old woman laughed, "I told you before."

"I used to dream of having a daughter to dress her like this," Mikoto rambled, "and hopelessly have two boring sons."

Sasuke stayed in the car with Fugaku, sneezing; Itachi just got on the plane with his wife, sneezing.

While Sakura got back to the fitting room to take off her apparel, she still could hear the chat outside.

"Mikoto," the old woman laughed, "don't let Sasuke hear this statement, or he'll make a mess."

"Ichika," Mikoto called her name for the first time, smiling, "he's an adult now."

"The little boy, who made a mess because his mother revealed to him that she prepared him with all clothes for a baby girl, has grown up finally," Ichika commented, eyeing the car parking outside under the dim light of early morning through the window. "He's capable of helping Itachi now."

"Hey hey," Mikoto dismissed, "no clan business today."

"Hahaha," expansively laughed the old woman, "so you should blame for Itachi's foreseeing power that he would have a little brother."

"No no," Mikoto shook her head, "don't mention anything relating to 'foreseeing'; I'm getting enough with Madara."

"Hahaha," she laughed a lot today, "No matter what you're complaining of, your brother is the legend of the Uchihas…although it's a bit comical now hahaha."

Sakura got out, waiting for the girl to fold her apparel and hand it back to her in a paper bag.

"It's time," Mikoto looked at the clock, hung on the wall and excused herself, "I'll leave now."

"See you tonight."

Sakura slightly bowed to the old woman and left with Mikoto.

"She is one of the clan elders," Mikoto explained to her when they were walking out to the car, "but already retired. When I started to be the heir, she taught me a lot. Don't look at her bright smiles and think she is a mild lady, Sakura. She is really fierce, though. Being a clan elder, she was supposed to be strict to the heir. There are too much weighing on the clan elders' shoulders. A clan elder is selected but will be asked if he or she is willing to be in that position or not; if yes, that one must vow in front of the Uchiha ancestral tablets that he or she will bear the clan with the heir. Such kind of wow is as heavy as you're carrying the whole clan's history; no one can take it lightly."

3.

They got on the plane to fly to the plateau at around 5 o'clock. It was a three-hour-flight. Breakfast was served on the plane.

When they finally arrived at the Uchiha village where Mikoto grew up, Sakura heard Mikoto exclaim, "It's been a long time since I lived here with my father."

"Everything remains the same," Fugaku commented, softening his voice with a little smile that only a meticulous person could notice.

When Sakura and Sasuke finished setting up their things in their own room, she turned to ask Sasuke, "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to gather with others in the square to make lanterns, hanging them together in threads on two sides of each street. At night, they will be lighted up."

"Wow…"

"They will make some cakes and sweets…"

"Where???"

"You only know how to eat," Sasuke commented with no mercy. "If I tell you where they're making, do you plan to help them or secretly steal some?"

"Sasuke!"

"Send a message to your best sweets-friend Shisui," he smiled. "He must be wandering somewhere there."

"What about Itachi?"

"He's the heir."

"What's the problem with being an heir?"

"He can't be like you and Shisui, wandering around and stealing sweets. It's embarrassing."

"You can't say so when I haven't done it!"

"You will," forthrightly said Sasuke, "especially when hanging around with Shisui."

4.

At 9 o'clock, moving to the square, which in fact was a vast land covered with green grass and many old cedars, Sakura finally saw Itachi.

"Itachi," Sakura waved her hand.

"Sakura."

They gathered with others and started to make lanterns. It surprised Sakura that everyone seemed to master how to make it, for their hands moved very smoothly and quickly. On the ground were bamboo, wood, rattan, wire, red, yellow, and white papers, glue, colours, and paintbrushes. The atmosphere was surprisingly friendly. She had never seen Uchiha men and women gathering, chatting, and laughing this lively.

"You're new," Itachi noticed it and said. "Every year we all have to do the same boring activities, but having time to do boring activities year after year like this one is a blessing, like meeting old friends, sharing stories, maybe fun, maybe sad, discussing anything outside the clan business, and warmly having meals together. One year passes, and maybe next year you'll not be able to see the same person you saw last year. It's a way to teach how to treasure time and people in the present."

"Hello," it's Shisui's cheerful voice. He came with his parents. "Am I late?"

His parents nodded as a greeting with them and then left the young people having space for themselves. They walked towards another group sitting in the corner. Over there were Mikoto and Fugaku.

Sakura felt weird. She didn't see Yoko, but she didn't dare to ask Itachi.

Shisui sat between her and Itachi, whispered, "There was another group of clan men and women making cakes and sweets after lunch."

"Exceptionally delicious," he added.

"Where?" Sakura whispered while glueing the papers to the frame.

"I can't take you there today," Shisui answered, "although I wanna steal some first." And then he quickly suggested, "Just wait for tonight as it's finally all in our stomachs."

Sakura looked at him like 'will there be anything left for us?'.

"Trust me," Shisui giggled, "they made for kids mostly. Uchiha adults are boring to death; they don't eat sweets."

Shisui caught a glimpse of a familiar figure and waved his hand, shouting, "Izumi! We're here."

And he quickly whispered to Sakura's ear, "Itachi's girlfriend in rumour."

Sakura was very curious. From afar, she could see Izumi said something to her parents which they nodded as permission, and Izumi left them, walking briskly to Itachi's group.

"Hi, Itachi, Shisui, Sasuke!" And she looked at Sakura, "You're Sakura, right?"

Sakura nodded with a little smile. Sakura's first impression was that Izumi looked modest.

"I'm too busy to attend your wedding but still can guess," Izumi brightly said. "Shisui told me you loved sweets like us."

But it seemed she had a very bright personality.

"Like us?"

"Nice to meet you, sweets-friend!" Izumi smiled, reaching her hand out for shaking.

"You love sweets too!" Sakura exclaimed, shaking hands happily. The three men even had to smile.

"You know," Izumi continued, "there is a group of people making sweets here."

"I told her already," Shisui proudly said.

"But you said you couldn't take me there," Sakura complained.

"We have to do some warm-ups," Shisui explained.

"Warm-ups? We?"

"Itachi and Sasuke have to go too."

"Huh?"

"We'll have some competitions tomorrow morning."

"What competitions?"

"Have you ever seen Sasuke wielding a katana?" Shisui giggled.

"Or Itachi drawing a bow?" Izumi added playfully.

"Or Shisui riding a horse?" Itachi calmly added.

"Tch," Sasuke commented, "you three are talking like crooks."

They laughed.

"Do you wanna go with us?" Izumi suggested. "Sweets will finally be ours. Don't need to worry about it."

"Is it appropriate?"

"Of course," Izumi assured, pointing to the lantern frames the three men had made, "but we have to glue papers to these lanterns and decorate them first."

"A thread with a missing lantern looks awfully annoying," Shisui said, "and the elders will ramble a whole night long. Hey…but who are responsible for making sky lanterns?"

"Other groups," Itachi said. "Don't worry."

Izumi started to tell her stories recently, sometimes making some jokes. This morning, the weather was very comfortable with the shining sun. All the square was full of laughter and lively chats.

5.

Later, when they finished everything finally and were ready to leave for lunch, it was around 11:30, and Sakura heard familiar unique laughter.

It was Hashirama.

Turning to where the sound came from, she saw an unexpected person.

"Father," Sakura exclaimed, running to him, "why are you here?"

"Babysitting your uncle," Tobirama crossed his hands in front of his chest, looking away.

"Tobirama!" Hashirama shouted from behind. "If you wanna see your daughter, just say it directly! You shouldn't have spoken ill of your brother."

"You shut up!"

"But Tobi…" Hashirama timidly said, tapping his two index fingers to each other, "you came here by my money."

Silence.

Another silence.

And only silence.

"Why didn't you tell me, Tobirama?" Izuna smirked, breaking the silence. "I'd pay you a ticket."

"I'll transfer the money back 10 times for you, Hashirama," Tobirama said, glaring at his brother.

"No no no," Hashirama dismissed immediately, "I'm jok…joking."

Sakura burst out laughing. She laughed a lot this morning.

6.

After lunch, they withdrew to their own room to have rest. Sakura threw a futon and a pillow on the tatami, lying on one side, facing Sasuke, who was sitting next to the small wooden table, having a tea, and looking at the garden outside.

"Sasuke."

"Hm?" He turned his head lightly to her.

"Is this the reason why you never stayed with us back then on Mid-Autumn?"

"Uh."

"Do you feel making lanterns boring?"

"No."

"When did you make the first lantern?"

"About 5," Sasuke replied, "but a very ugly one. The clan elders were like 'I can't hurt this little boy's feeling.' Itachi later hung it on the most beautiful spot in front of this house."

"In a thread of multiple lanterns, yours definitely was the most outstanding one."

"Uh," Sasuke's voice was very soft, chuckling himself, "famous in one night."

"Is there any clan member not liking the clan reunion?"

"Of course."

"So what will happen to them?"

"Nothing."

"The clan elders don't scold them?"

"They don't have time for such matter," Sasuke looked back at the garden, taking a sip of tea. "This reunion is not required for each clan member, but absence without a single reason is like a kind of announcement you send to the clan that you don't want to be a part of the clan anymore. The clan elders' existence is to preserve the clan traditions and ensure clan future; they don't want to create any chaos just because of some people. Once you leave, you have to leave the name Uchiha as well. Being an Uchiha, one is granted the trust among the clan members, which is why it's harder to forgive anyone in case of betrayal. But why do you want to know?"

He didn't hear the response. He turned his head, seeing Sakura already falling asleep.

7.

At around 2 o'clock in the afternoon, she followed Sasuke to the training ground. It was a spacious place connected with a vast land for horse riding. She heard Shisui happily scream something like 'my beloved Teleporter'. Itachi appeared next to her and explained that it was Shisui's horse's name and that Shisui loved it so much that he would never miss any occasion held on the plateau if he could.

This was the first time Sakura saw Sasuke wield a katana. It was a wooden one to avoid unnecessary injury, but it didn't affect his solemn focusing demeanours and the clean-cut he drew. Shisui told her Sasuke did have a real one, but it would only be used when he was alone. Sasuke was cross-dominant; he could use both hands to wield katana, but as holding chopsticks, he tended to use it with the left-hand whereas he wrote with the right hand. Sometimes she forgot to describe Sasuke's appearance. It was like she had known him for such a long time that she forgot everything. When talking, she would care more for the voice or just simply know he was there. When a person was so dear to her, all the images of that person vanished into thin air, only leaving something so obvious and so precious. Suddenly the pictures of Kakashi and Tobirama jumped in her mind. They were ageing, but every time she looked at them from behind, she always imagined of their silhouettes, indescribably beautiful. When she moved faster towards the future, they seemed to move much slower under the weight of time. And Itachi…

She only stood from afar, but she still could feel the happiness in Sasuke, Itachi, and Shisui. Shisui exclaimed excitedly something like it had been a whole year since he touched his babe-sword. Around them were other Uchiha men and women.

"They'll have warm-ups until sunset," Izumi appeared next to her. "These competitions are just for honour and respect rather than winning, but you definitely know three strongest men of our clan."

"I'll have to leave later for the horse riding section," Izumi added.

"You?"

"Haha," she laughed, "I signed up for horse riding, but games, or competitions, depending on what you like to call, have some changes every year. I don't know what is going on with horse riding this year. Sometimes it's an old game with more rules; sometimes it's completely new. You'll see more women in the archery training ground. The Uchihas have a good sense of target."

Izumi handed Sakura a bag.

"This is a bag of sweets I stole for you," Izumi giggled.

"Wow…" Sakura exclaimed. "Thank you!!!"

"Just in case I leave you here with nothing to do," Izumi said.

"Why are you so kind to me when we've only known each other just for some hours?" Sakura asked.

"A friend trusts a friend's eyes," Izumi responded. "Itachi and Shisui…hm…although one looks so mild that everyone can have an amiable conversation with him while the other looks friendly, they are not easy to let others befriend with them."

"You've definitely known Itachi and Shisui for a long time."

"We're childhood friends like you and Sasuke," Izumi was like suddenly remembering something, laughing.

"What is so funny?"

"People rumoured that Itachi and I were lovers at a young age."

"So?"

"If this were the ancient time, I thought it would be possible for inbreeding," Izumi laughed, "but now no no no."

She continued, "Let me tell you. Even if we were not relatives, I wouldn't end up with Itachi. Every time I recall that accident, I feel I wanna swear."

"What happened?" Sakura was curious. Izumi's voice was playful, so she knew Izumi didn't get angry or wanted to complain anything about Itachi.

"Do you see any boyfriend that when his girlfriend and his beloved little brother were in a car accident, and he ran to pick up his beloved brother first, and later called Shisui like 'Hey, Izumi's also there'?" she joked. "When I was in the hospital, I imagined if a killer asked Itachi like 'you can only choose one of them', he would definitely choose Sasuke. I'm such a generous merciful lady that I still accept him as my friend."

Sakura couldn't stop laughing because of Izumi's way of narration.

"They rumoured just because the only female around Itachi was me," she pointed at herself. "And because we're relatives, they rumoured more, in a bad way, I mean, not our clan members. Our clan has a stringent rule on not interfering or discussing other clan member's life."

"I did learn about that."

"Did the rules terrify you?"

"No," Sakura thought for a while, "I think it's to assure there is no conflict in the clan, like not interfering other people's lives or not spreading rumours or never talking about clan matters with outsiders."

"Yeah," Izumi said, "you learnt differently from us. In fact, these rules were taught to us by our parents. The clan elders thought it was better to receive education regarding social behaviours among clan members through parents. They were emphasised and reiterated at school through fables. But Itachi, as the heir, learnt more rules than we did."

Sakura lowered her head and frowned. Izumi scrutinised her face without Sakura's notice.

"When you sit in a higher place, you must bear the heavier weight."

"I know."

"You know," Izumi looked at the vast sky above her, "Itachi never eats sweets in any party or event."

"Really?"

"That's the reason why the clan members usually joke that only Shisui and I are Uchiha genetic mutation," she grinned. "Poor them, their precious heir has a genetic mutation like us."

"But I don't understand…"

"Why Itachi doesn't eat sweets in front of them?" Izumi continued. "It's dangerous to let others know what you're really thinking or favour of, Sakura, especially when you're in a high position. Besides, sweets are like a secret code to recognise who really care for him."

"It's good for him, though," Sakura professionally commented. "It lowers the risk of diabetes."

"Hahaha."

When the horse riding session was opened, Izumi excused herself. Enjoying her sweets, Sakura sat on the ground watching them. Izumi looked confident when moving on the horse. The cool breeze blew through the plateau, and Izumi was riding the horse like a warrior riding the wind.

8.

Night came. It was time to hang the lanterns. 

Everybody flowed to the streets. Innocent waves of laughter from kids were penetrating the air. Some held their children high to touch the lanterns which were lighted by battery-powered LED lamps. When all were done, the whole village was bathed in warm soothing light. She had never seen such a stunning scene like this before.

The Senjus had more extroverts, whereas the Uchihas had more introverts; the Senjus tended to be more open, whereas the Uchihas tended to be more reserve. The Senjus gave their clan members a sense of freedom, while the Uchihas spread a sense of responsibility and union among them. When one Senju did something wrong, that one would take responsibility for his or her own action without worrying about affecting the clan. In contrast, every Uchiha always bears in mind that every single step he or she had committed could bring shame to the clan. These two clans, Sakura thought, were somehow imperfectly perfect in their own ways. And the two clans, as always, fortunately, and unfortunately were best friends.

Amidst her thoughts, she heard a little boy shouting Itachi's name.

"Manner," a woman (maybe the little boy's mother) quickly reminded him.

Itachi smiled, telling her no problem with his masculine and firm voice. He bent down and held the little child in his arms, asking him whether or not he wanted to touch the lantern. Even when she could only see Itachi's back with the little boy's chubby face, Sakura felt a stream of warm water pouring through her heart.

This feeling…

This feeling…

There was a faraway day she strolled along the riverside with Itachi. That day's weather was quite dull; the land was enveloped with fog. They silently ambled through the mist. It was believed that Sasuke was a man of rumours while Itachi was a man of myths. What did they talk during that stroll? Something about Sasuke. Later Itachi was called for something; he excused himself. She stood still; he was moving and disappearing in the fog, just like a myth himself. Not so close yet not so distanced. It was impossible to grasp him - a man of myths, anyway. On the night before the Mid-Autumn, they went to a traditional market to buy a gift for Sasuke. A child bumped into Itachi on the narrow street; just like the scene in front of her eyes now, he bent his back and helped the child get up, squatting down to ask him whether he was hurt in anywhere. Itachi stood there, and she stood here. Not knowing why, seeing Itachi like this, she couldn't help but let her tears fall. It was tranquil and...sad. But why sad? Why? She didn't know. She couldn't find the answer.

"Are you okay?" Izumi tapped on her shoulder. Sakura didn't notice since when she stood behind her back.

"Nothing," Sakura wiped her eyes. "I was just suddenly moved to tears."

9.

Everyone would enjoy a buffet in a dining hall. This hall was built in Madara's generation when they already moved slowly to the plains. In the past, they would eat outside like camping, but now the clan elders worried that children getting used to living on the plains would feel unwell.

Sakura had a chance to talk with Yoko. Finally.

"I haven't seen you a whole day," concernedly said Sakura.

"I'm feeling a bit unwell," Yoko laughed it off, "but okay now. How was the day to you? This is your first time to have this festival here."

"Fantastic!"

"It seems that you adapt to this clan's customs quickly."

Sakura felt Yoko quite distractedly look at somewhere; she turned her head to find what Yoko was looking at. She looked out the window, and it was Itachi.

Itachi was talking with some people she hadn't met before in the garden outside the dining hall, holding a glass of whiskey or something. Sasuke and Shisui were there too. She didn't see Izumi anywhere.

"Why don't you try once?" Sakura asked.

"Try what?"

"Try spending time with Itachi," Sakura remembered what Sasuke had said to her, "you can give it a try to see whether or not you two can end up together."

Yoko said nothing for a while, eyeing the lemon juice in her hand.

"What if I fail?"

"At least you try," Sakura said.

"But I'm afraid of failure," Yoko sadly commented, "you're innocent, Sakura. I prefer to maintain this state, neither hot nor cold. Once I break it, I'll have to face the cold. No matter what the result is, I don't wanna leave Itachi, and I can't leave Itachi."

"But…"

"He's so kind and so gentle, Sakura," Yoko's face looked so pale under the light. "Sometimes, I wished he hated me as his best friend does. It'd help me hate him a bit. It would be much better. It would be less suffering."

"His best friend?"

"Nothing serious," Yoko smiled before continuing. "I've been living with him for two years, and my feelings for him just seemed to fall into somewhere out of reach. I hate it. If only I could control my love."

"I…"

"But," Yoko smiled, gently looking at Sakura, "thanks for spending time talking with me. No one talked with me here. It's very kind of you, Sakura."

"Yoko…"

Yoko took a deep breath, sadly looking to the figure outside the window, and then her voice suddenly became bright; her face lighted up, "But this night will end soon. We'll live in the same room."

Sakura didn't know what to say. Before she thought of something to say, she heard Mikoto's voice.

"Sakura! I'm looking for you."

"Mom," she said, bearing in mind Sasuke's saying that although she didn't use to calling Mikoto mom, she had to say that in this night party.

"Yoko," Mikoto said with a little concern, "I've heard from Itachi that you're feeling unwell. Are you okay?"

"I'm feeling better now," Yoko smiled.

"If you feel unwell, you should tell the Itachi," Mikoto advised. "We have doctors here."

"I know."

"I know you're having a good conversation, but may I borrow Sakura for a while?" Mikoto asked politely. Even Sakura could feel the ways Mikoto talked with her and Yoko were different.

Yoko smiled, nodded.

Holding on Sakura's wrist, Mikoto guided her through the crowd. Sakura looked back, seeing Yoko alone under the dim light in the corner of the party.

"Mom," Sakura called Mikoto, "may I ask you one thing?"

"What?" Mikoto chuckled. "Since when you started to be so polite to me? Sasuke drilled it in your head?"

"Why do you treat me so well?" Sakura asked.

"Where does this stupid question come from?"

"Is it because of Sasuke?"

“Why Sasuke?” Mikoto teased her.

"I'm serious," Sakura blushed.

"Okay," Mikoto calmly looked at her, slowing down her pace, "80% because of Sasuke."

"Another 20%?"

"You," Mikoto smiled. "Before I'm your mother-in-law, I'm Sasuke's mother."

"I got it."

"Sasuke is right," Mikoto commented playfully. "Your head contains many unbelievable questions asked out of nowhere."

"You shouldn't listen to him," Sakura barked back.

"Haha," Mikoto laughed, "so can you pay attention now? I'd like to introduce you to some people."

10.

It was announced that sky lanterns would be released at around 9:30. Everybody had some time to come back and dress more for they would move to an open area. It must be cold.

Before releasing it, they were given time to write something they wished on them.

Yoko again excused herself with her health condition.

Tobirama walked next to Sakura. They were standing in one place with Itachi, Shisui, Izumi, Sasuke.

"A whole day I haven't seen Lord Madara," Shisui commented.

Madara and Hashirama were nowhere to be seen again.

"In this public event, everyone is suddenly careful with the language," Itachi chuckled.

"Itachi," Shisui glared at him. "Could you the precious heir of our clan kindly let me keep my gentle polite formal language for tonight?"

Somebody's voice was sonorously spoken, "Everyone, attention! Please finish writing what you want on the lanterns, and we'll release them in some minutes."

So they stopped speaking, focused on writing letters on the lanterns.

Itachi wrote 'at peace' (安).

Sasuke wrote 'grace' (恩).

Shisui wrote 'happiness' (樂).

Izumi wrote 'celebrate' (慶).

Sakura wrote on all four sides, making Shisui have to comment, "Sakura, this is greedy."

"This is for increasing probability," Sakura argued. And all of them burst out laughing.

She wrote four words: healthy (康), auspicious (祥), safe and sound (安), and happiness (樂).

"Father," Sakura called Tobirama, "why don't you write something?"

"I'm not interested in Uchiha things," cool kid Tobirama replied.

"Father," Sakura called him again.

"Huh?"

"My hands feel a bit sore," Sakura said.

Tobirama looked concerned.

"Can you help me release the lantern?" She continued.

"Releasing something doesn't require much force," Tobirama replied, discerning his daughter's real intention.

"So, can you?" Sakura looked at him playfully, smiling as brightly as she could.

"Yeah." He looked away.

"Now, everyone, are you ready?"

"Ready!!!"

"We'll count down from 10."

And the crowd kept counting down. The voices of hundreds of people firmly and excitingly spread to everywhere. And zero. And release. The sky lanterns flew to the sky; everyone lifted their heads looking at them on a cold night of autumn, feeling a sense of connection more powerful than ever.

On the way going back to the village, Shisui rambled, "Thinking of waking up early tomorrow, I feel desperate."

"Why do you have to wake up early?" Sakura asked.

"Collect the lanterns we released tonight," Shisui yawned. "A second of joy is paid by the price of sleeping in."

"How do you know where they are?"

"You don't know?" Izumi explained. "They had already calculated the wind speed and wind direction and then chose the place to release them. The lanterns will fall at a certain height."

"Is it the benefit of owning a plateau?" Sakura giggled.

"Only you can think of such a sudden comment," Izumi laughed.

"Sakura," Sasuke reminded her, "you still have to wake up early tomorrow."

"What???"

"You haven't explained to her?" Itachi smiled.

"Explain what?"

"I already told you that you would have to wear the apparel at the shrine," Sasuke said.

"We have to hike to the shrine early in the morning and have the competitions later," Itachi explained.

"Are you humans???" Sakura freaked out. "But Shisui doesn't have to hike there!"

"I, Uchiha Shisui," Shisui clapped his hand on his chest, confidently stated, "always proud not to be a member of the head family."

"What?!"

"Accept your fate, Sakura," Shisui happily laughed at Sakura's desperate expression.

They were approaching the Uchiha village's gate.

"Hey, Sakura," Izumi wondered, "what is your official name?"

"Senju Yamanashi."

"Which Yamanashi?"

"It means the moon views the village."

Izumi clapped her hands, happily laughed.

"What?"

"The moon," Izumi pointed to the perfect moon shining on the sky, then pointed to the ground, "views the village."

Izumi stamped her feet at the word 'village'. They were standing right at the gate.


	13. And Sakura

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Who could think she had to wake up at 4 in the morning to have breakfast? And then yawning till 4:40 to start hiking. The Uchiha village was at 2000 meters above the sea level while the shrine was at about 3600 meters. Normally, you'll get altitude sickness if you climb to the altitude of above 2500 meters. They told her that the trail had been built very smoothly, so it was easy to walk, and all she had to do was to move slowly to adapt with the altitude change. She was there once for the wedding, but they took a flight directly there. Although the altitude change caused some trouble, she indeed adapted to it after three days. Well, at least no need to hike.

Although Shisui said that only the head family had to hike to the shrine, she found many people in the gathering point. Sasuke explained to her that some clan members had been flown to the plateau at least five days ago and hike around to get used to the altitude change in order to walk to the shrine with the head family on this occasion. It was not required as Shisui had mentioned, yet many people enjoyed being there as a blessing.

She didn't see Yoko again, but Izumi was in the team.

"You didn't tell me that you're hiking with us."

"Your desperate expression looked so funny," Izumi grinned.

They enjoyed some small talks when hiking. Sakura could see Shisui's parents and Izumi's parents also in the group, talking with Fugaku and Mikoto.

Hashirama and Madara were again nowhere to be seen. Neither were Izuna and Tobirama.

Puffing and panting at the shrine, Sakura looked at other people and began to question the meaning of her life. Just simply look at Sasuke and Itachi. They looked like they were enjoying a short hike to a small hill. What kind of human they are! Sakura thought inwardly.

Some monks and older people came out to welcome them, guiding them through the garden. The atmosphere here was so soothing and sacred, so fresh and tranquil.

There were some old traditional wooden houses here, which she guessed were the places the Uchihas settled down on the first day of their exile. They did maintain it as much as they could. The rooms of the house were connected by long hallways with a polished wooden floor. The transoms were carved wooden rectangles. She got her clothes changed in a room. This clothes had many layers, so it basically could keep her warm. Mikoto even had to check whether she could handle herself with the apparel.

When they finished the ceremony in the shrine, changing their clothes again, they hiked back.

One the way hiking back, Sakura had time to pluck some wildflowers she liked.

"Flowers here are so different from what I've seen. The harsh weather here nurtured many rare herbs and uncommon flowers," Sakura excitingly told Izumi.

"But in exchange, we can't grow some other plant species here," Izumi noted.

"It's normal, though," Sakura said.

"Do you know there's a weird thing here?"

"What is it?"

"We can't grow cherry blossom here."

"Why?" Sakura was surprised. "It's supposed to be able to grow at least in the Uchiha village."

"We don't know," Izumi shook her head. "We tried, but they didn't live long. It's believed that the dry cold winds here damage the flower buds leading to their premature death. But we did try another way, yet they all died."

"It's weird," Sakura commented.

The Uchiha village gate was in sight now, and it was time for competitions.

They had a small break before the first competition started at 10:00. Sakura finally saw her father having breakfast with Uncle Izuna.

"Brother," Mikoto asked, "where is our big brother?"

"Don't worry about him," Izuna bluntly said.

"But where is he?" Mikoto demanded. "I've not seen Hashirama and him since yesterday."

"When they feel hungry, they'll show up," Izuna nonchalantly told her.

"Oh," Izuna mocked, looking behind her back, "two dogs finally finished biting each other!"

Tobirama calmly ate his breakfast, looking at Madara and his brother relying on each other to drag themselves back home with swollen faces.

Mikoto had nothing to say. One was a clan head; one was a clan legend in the shadow. Two missing a whole afternoon, a whole evening, a whole night, and a whole early morning, came back like tatters.

"Tobi…" Hashirama chirped, pronouncing words improperly, "we played stone skipping much better than last year."

"Shut up!" Tobirama said his first words in a day. "Go have breakfast. You look like a begging dog!"

Sometimes, Izuna thought the reason why he and Tobirama were best friends was that they shared the same pain of having brothers who were more childish when their ages increased.

Mikoto phoned the doctors to have a look at them and asked someone to cook some porridges. She didn't know whether they lost any tooth.

"They sparred again," Shisui whispered to his beloved group, gathering around the table next to the window.

"This year they look worse than last year," Sasuke played a critic.

"And more energetic," Itachi added.

At 10:00, the first competition of the day began. It was the horse riding based game. All competitors would be divided into two teams. 

"Now I explain the rules of the game," Izuna announced. "Each team will have 12 members and will be given the flag map arrangement of this year. Each team will have 100 flags of which there is one secret flag of which the root is painted in golden colour. We''ll call it the king flag. You have the right to discuss with your teammates where you will put the secret flag according to the positions on the map. The winner will be the team who can replace as many flags of the opponent team by yours as possible. The number of replaced flags will mean nothing when the king flag is plucked within the first 15 minutes. The team plucks it in time is the winner. There is one special rule here: On the hand of the horse rider always holds the flag. When you take yours to replace, you must hold the opponent's coming back to your territory. Each team is provided with two boxes: one for taking your flags to replace and one for putting the opponent team's flags that you pluck. This also means there is no flag position left empty. If your hand or the flag position you pluck is found empty, you will be eliminated from the game. And of course, no fighting is accepted. Finally, the total time of this game is 30 minutes."

"Now each person, come to draw a tag from the box. Who gets the same colour on the tag will be in the same team."

Sasuke, Shisui, and Izumi were on the same team Red with the other nine members.

Itachi was on team White with the other eleven members.

"Each team will have 30 minutes to discuss with your team members," Izuna announced. "30 minutes starts now."

After Izuna's announcement, Mikoto smiled and said, "This year's competition will be fun."

Fugaku nodded.

"But," Sakura, sitting between Mikoto and her father, said, "this is unfair."

"Why is it unfair?" Fugaku asked.

"It's unfair for Itachi!"

Fugaku laughed, and Sakura got confused.

"Nashi," Tobirama explained shortly, "Sasuke's team is at a big disadvantage in this game."

"Why…?" Sakura frowned.

Tobirama kept silent. For a while, Sakura recalled all the rules and murmured to herself. She finally got what Tobirama said.

"You mean..."

Tobirama nodded.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was talking with his team with the given map.

"First, we have to discuss where we put the king flag, and where the Team White is likely to put their flag," he opened the map.

The positions of 100 flags were already indicated in 3 vertical lines between 2 horizontal lines, and all the 5 lines were surrounded by a pentagon. Each line had 10 dots for 10 flags. The distance between each flag in a line was 2 meters.

"We will have to replace the flags, and when we replace, we can accidentally pluck the king flag," one member said, "which means no one will place the king flag in front. It's too dangerous."

"Where do you think Itachi places his king flag?" Izumi asked.

"Here," Sasuke and Shisui pointed at the same dot at the same time.

"I wanna swear," Shisui said, "we're at a big disadvantage."

"May I ask why?" A member of the team asked.

"If we can guess Itachi's king flag's possible position, this means Itachi can guess what we're thinking too," Shisui explained.

"But this means we just need to change what we're thinking," one member suggested.

"Listen," Sasuke explained, "it's not as simple as what you're thinking. I'm his younger brother; Shisui is his best friend; Izumi is his childhood friend. He understands our thinking patterns because he is very close to us. Itachi is very good at planning things and anticipating other people's moves. This means that he already can guess 3/12 here. When you say that we can change it, you have to bear in mind one thing: You can barely change your thinking pattern. You think you can change that, but it doesn't. You can change your decision, but your thinking pattern does not. Even when I ask you to select things randomly, your thinking pattern is still working. Just for an example, in your case, Itachi can guess we will not select what we think first, or even worse, he can guess where we want to trick him. I don't say that we'll lose, but our team have to be prepared with this situation. And trust me, Itachi can guess what I'm talking to you now."

"May I ask one thing?" Shisui continued. "Is there any of you working with Itachi quite close before here?"

There were three raising their hands.

"Bad omen," Izumi tragically commented. "The clan heir works with a lot of people."

"We seemed to have 6/12 now," Sasuke analysed. "Except for Itachi, I know no one in Team White."

"But Itachi surely will take the leader position," Izumi said. "He plays the key role here."

"I can guess one of Team White member," one member proposed. "Is it okay?"

"Perfect!" Shisui exclaimed. "Where is that one likely to put the king flag?"

The one pointed at one position, and Shisui marked it.

"To put it straight," Sasuke said, "is there any of you who never talks with Itachi before?"

Three of them raised their hands.

"Where will you put the king flag?"

Shisui marked them again.

"Why don't we choose the place that Shisui thinks?" Izumi suggested. "If Itachi can guess our move, he will think we never put the flag in the places we're planning in our head."

"But Itachi can send his team to try at all places that we tend to place the flag," Sasuke replied. "Just like us, we'll try all the possible places in the first 15 minutes. He'll not skip the places we three will place just because he thinks we'll avoid."

"May I have a suggestion?" Another member asked.

Everyone looked at him.

"Why don't we focus on replacing the flags? I remember that Shisui is the fastest horse rider. If we focus on replacing, with our speed, we definitely can win."

"It only happens when Team White doesn't pluck our king flag in the first 15 minutes," another one commented.

"I wanna go home with my mama," Shisui feigned lamenting.

"I know you're thrilled to death, Shisui," Sasuke glared at him. "Don't try to hide it. It writes on your face."

"This is the first time I'm placed in Itachi's opponent team," Shisui excitingly said. "The more challenging, the more compelling! Don't tell me you all don't feel the same! We're Uchihas!!!"

Everybody laughed.

"If we have Shisui here," Sasuke suggested, "Shisui, we'll divide the team into two groups. The faster group replace the flags at possible king flags while the others do the same with the ones in the front. Itachi unquestionably will divide the team the same as us, but it's interesting, though."

"The speed is our advantage," one member commented, "honestly the more we replace, the higher probability we pluck the king flag."

"Agree."

"So we'll place the king flag here?" Izumi confirmed by pointing to the map. It was one of the positions of three members who hadn't talked with Itachi before.

"Thirty-minute-discussion will be ended soon," Izuna announced. "You should get your horse ready and start to place the flags. You have 15 minutes to place them."

After 15 minutes had passed, Izuna announced the game started. From the audience seat, Sakura could see they rode the horses to the opponent's territory and rode back. The red flags were replaced by the white flags very fast first, but later the Team Red appeared to turn the table, and she could see the red and white colour were like fighting each other. It seemed like two teams had already discussed in advance, they moved into two small groups: one replacing the flags at the nearest, and another targeting the flags at the farthest. Shisui and Izumi moved swiftly in the straight lines while Sasuke moved more smoothly in curves. But she noticed something bizarre: Itachi seldom plucked any flag. He did move around, but he seemed to hold his team flag for a very long time. Finally, she saw him replace one and ride back, but he unquestionably had the slowest speed here. It was strange.

"Itachi is planning something," Fugaku said.

"Fourteen minutes passed," Izuna informed.

It meant only one minute left before the number of the replaced flags would matter.

And at the same time Izuna announced the fifteen minutes passed, Itachi shouted that he found the king flag.

They had to stop the game and rewatch the final minutes with the camera recorder to check the time Itachi plucked the king flag. And he did pluck it in the last second.

All 24 members gather to bow to each other and exchange some talks before lunch.

"When I saw you just ride around and around, I got suspicious, Itachi!" Shisui complained, huffing.

Itachi smiled.

"What did you plan?" Izumi asked.

"Observe," precisely said Itachi.

"But observe what?" A member of Itachi's team asked.

"Hey," a member of Sasuke's team asked that member, "you're in the same team, and you don't know?"

"I have no idea."

"Explain, Itachi," Shisui demanded. "Both your team and my team are confused."

"When I moved around your flags, your teammates would have some reactions shown on their faces," Itachi explained, "but this was only my assumption. Our team's main plan was exactly the same as yours. There was only one difference."

"You didn't let them know where the king flag was placed," Sasuke stated.

"Exactly!" Itachi smiled. "We did mark the possible positions, but the final position was decided without telling anyone. I just assumed your team would play the same strategy like ours, so to avoid leaking information through facial expressions, I didn't let them know it."

"How could I forget about this?!" Shisui lamented.

"Because your team's strength was the speed, you would focus more about that," Itachi responded calmly. "We had a smaller chance to win over your team in terms of speed, so the only way was to focus on plucking the king flag."

"I wanna go home with my mama," Shisui lamented again.

"Go," Itachi said, "have lunch together."

No matter who won, the purpose of all the competitions was to learn about honour, respect, and to strengthen the spirit. They all knew the reason behind the thirty-minute-discussion. The game could have focused only on the speed or horse riding combined with archery, or shortened discussion. That long discussion was for them to be involved. At least they had some new friends, so 24 members got together, moving chairs and tables to have lunch.

Last year they had teamwork on archery; this year was horse riding, which meant the other two competitions left would focus on individual performances. A person could only sign up for a maximum of two games. Itachi, Shisui, and Sasuke - the winner of kendo last year didn't sign up for kendo this year. Izumi only signed up for horse riding.

When everybody was prepared for kendo competition, Izumi walked through the flow of people to approach Shisui. They stood quite far from the crowd.

"I've been trying to find time to talk with you a whole day," Izumi said.

"Huh?"

"Something's bothering me."

"What?"

"The incident you told me that year," Izumi lowered her voice.

"No," Shisui sternly said, and he started to lower his voice, "don't mention it."

"I don't understand, Shisui," Izumi said, "between what you had told me and what I've seen. It's…"

"Absurd?" Shisui continued for her. "No matter what you've seen, Izumi, forget all the things I told you that year. I'm serious."

"Does Sasuke know it?"

"No."

"I wanna swear," Izumi complained.

"Just go on," Shisui also lowered his head, "no one's around. I did swear at that time."

"Damn Itachi," Izumi swore.

"What's done is done."

"It's unfair," Izumi said, "for both of them."

"For him too, Izumi," Shisui said.

"Shisui," Izumi lowered her head, looking at the ground, "how many people know it?"

"Three."

"Include or not include Itachi?"

"Include."

"No," Shisui suddenly dismissed what he said after a long silence, "I think four."

"Think?" Izumi lifted her head to look at him, frowning. "Who?"

"Tobirama."

"But why do you think he knows?"

"I have no proof, Izumi. But let's think about it. He's Sakura's father."

"But if you use that argument, Kakashi…"

"No," Shisui quickly dismissed. "If he knew it, he would never let things end like this now."

"But they're both her fathers," Izumi questioned, "how could their reactions be so different?"

"I don't know," Shisui shook his head, "I really don't know. But my instinct tells me he knows everything, Izumi."

"A Senju…" Izumi looked through the crowd, staring at Tobirama, who was listening to what Izuna and Hashirama said. And all of a sudden, Tobirama looked right back at her. She quickly lowered her head.

"Damn it!"

"What?"

"That man has an admirable acute sense of noticing anything abnormal," Izumi said, "I just stared at him for a few seconds at such distance, and it seemed he knew it."

"Izumi," Shisui breathed out a long breath, "the 'underworld' even has to respect him by calling him Lord Second. It must mean something. He doesn't get that title for nothing."

"I trust your instinct now."

"Yeah…" Shisui recalled something. "At that time, she moved to live in the Senju manor. With such an acute sense…"

Shisui didn't finish his sentence, but Izumi nodded as a sign she did understand everything now.

"Just let it stay buried, Izumi," Shisui advised. "Everything is perfect now."

"You know," Izumi looked at him, "I used not to believe that cold man loved his daughter. I thought you told me a joke. But last night, when she asked him to release the lantern, I knew I was wrong a thousand times."

"I told you."

"If anything happens to her, Shisui, he'll positively dig our ancestors' graves."

"That won't happen."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I don't know," Shisui shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe just a hope. But the Senjus and the Uchihas deserve a second chance to be friends again. Everything looks good now."

"Hope so."

The kyudo competition always appealed to many competitors. At this time, our Madara the legend and his best friend Hashirama already had sufficient sleep and good food to fill their stomachs, so they joined the audience.

Sakura sat watching Sasuke, Shisui, and Itachi wearing standard uniforms. The uniform consisted of a short-sleeved keiko-gi held in place by a belt and a hakama.

It was Sasuke's turn. The manners of the Uchihas somehow matched this art of archery so much. She saw Sasuke kneel as he placed the arrow on the bow and then stood up to shoot. Swiftly. Smoothly. Tranquilly.

Half of her enjoyed this beautiful silence; another half of her really wanted to scream 'Sasuke, fighting'. But he needed to focus. This was a game of focusing — no thoughts; no illusions.

She kept telling another half of her to shut up, but then there was something crawling on her hand. She didn't have enough time to find what it was, except that she knew it was a kind of flying insect. She was so concentrated on drilling in her head 'Sasuke, fighting' that the insect freaked her out. She screamed, not a normal 'a' but what she was rehearsing in her head.

"Sasuke, fighting!!!"

When you were in a noisy place, once you got focused, you could concentrate without bothering any sound. But when everyone was hushed, and someone shouted, you got distracted.

Sasuke missed the target. Miserably.

Everybody's eyes all shifted on her. Her face reddened. It was a long awkward silence.

And Hashirama laughed out loud.

Next was Shisui.

And next was the whole audience.

Sakura wished there was a hole for her to hide. She took her coat to cover her face while all around were laughers.

Shisui quickly left his position, running to Izuna.

"Commander, lend me the mic!"

"Sakura!" Shisui excitingly called her, waving his hand towards her. "Take the coat away! It's okay!!!"

She raised her head from the coat to look at him.

"Can you scream 'Itachi, fighting' on his turn?" Shisui excitingly recommended. The whole audience laughed again.

She cursed inwardly. Her face reddened.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Shisui yelled in excitement, "this is the first time in our history that Uchiha Sasuke was eliminated at the very beginning. Uchiha Shisui doesn't need to defeat him. Uchiha Shisui will definitely rank higher than him without effort. Please give me a big round of applause!!!"

Everybody broke into laughter.

This was the first time Tobirama felt a little bit sympathy for Sasuke.

Hashirama tapped on Tobirama's shoulder from behind.

"It seems she acts more like my daughter than yours," he chortled.

"Excuse me?"

"No…nothing," Hashirama gave a cheesy smile, "I haven't said anything."

Sasuke walked to the audience seat just to see his mom trying to control her laughter and Sakura hiding under the coat.

He sat next to her.

"Don't dare to look at me, huh?"

She opened a small hole to look at him.

"I'm sorry," sheepishly apologetically said Sakura.

"You ah," Sasuke sighed.

All things had to come to an end. Some Uchihas planned to leave in the next morning, while others were going to leave right at this night. They enjoyed dinner together and came back to their rooms, packing their things.

The head family, however, planned to leave right after all the games finished. They would be on the same flight with Shisui and his parents, Tobirama and Hashirama.

When they were waiting for Shisui's family at the gate, Sakura heard some children singing a song.

"Make haste make haste,  
Time won't wait.  
From day to night, what delays?  
You'll never know when's the last.  
Why don't you grasp what in hand?  
Make haste make haste,  
Time won't wait.  
Don't let you say  
It's too late."

"It's an old children song in our clan," Itachi said.

"It's beautiful," Sakura complimented.

When the plane was taking off, sitting on the window seat, she looked at the plateau which was smaller and smaller, not knowing when she could come back. The green land, the Uchiha village, and even the shrine were reflected in her eyes. They turned her eyes to a deep silent well.


	14. Jade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction rated M...

1.

After the festival, everything set back to its own routine. Fugaku and Mikoto were busy with clan businesses; Itachi had to fulfil his heir duty; Shisui was summoned for mission; Izuna, as Shisui's commander, of course, had to leave; Izumi didn't live in this country; Sasuke came back with his conference-after-conference life; our Madara the legend was called back by Pein to supervise the businesses Akatsuki had dealt with recently (our Madara the legend didn't want to do that, but Pein the leader insisted on that); Hashirama and Tobirama, of course, were busy. 

And Sakura buried herself in the hospital.

Yoko sometimes sent Sakura some messages to share what she did, like some food she made at home. It amazed Sakura that Yoko's cooking skill looked excellent although she hadn't tasted any of Yoko's cooked food yet. They were photos which could make her mouth water. Sakura secretly admired those who could cook well.

Sakura thought she couldn't do anything to help Yoko anymore. She didn't know what to do or how to help. She got puzzled. Like what Sasuke said, which meant Itachi did suffer, so what could she do? Blame Itachi when he did suffer? She couldn't do that. Yoko kept telling her that she was innocent, and she indeed didn't know how to react to such a statement. It was just like…she had everything while Yoko had nothing… She made Sakura think so. Every time Sakura gave her advice or suggestion, it was always that Yoko dismissed it, reasoning that Sakura didn't understand anything because Sakura had things that Yoko wished for, such as good fathers (not only one, but two), good friends, and good husband, leading to a loving mother-in-law.

Sometimes Sakura thought if only Itachi made the first move, and Yoko could be courageous to take another step. But again, she didn't have any position to talk with Itachi about this. 

So Sakura decided just to befriend with Yoko. If Yoko needed her, she would be by her side. She could hear the load on Yoko's mind; weighing it down a bit was also fair. But she didn't have much time for her. The hospital was like a non-stop working system these days. The weather got colder, causing many people to flow to the hospital with a lot of health problems.

She had to study new things as she planned, spending time with Tsunade and Mito attending some heath and research conferences. She really didn't have much time. Her two fathers and her husband always stood firm on the side that she needed to go to work, so they only reminded her of taking care of her health like keeping warm or eating healthily. Hardly could a sentence like 'why don't you take a break' or 'just don't work too much' or 'I will raise you' and so on come from these men's mouths. She got a husband who believed that working kept her brain actively and fully functioning. Sasuke even didn't mind showing his looking down on her IQ outside the hospital. 

Today, while she was talking with her aunts Mito and Tsunade, discussing a case they had been handling recently, the head nurse suddenly opened the door, calling them for an emergency case. There was an important officer heavily injured in need of a surgery. When they ran to see the patient who bathed in blood, Miko quickly changed to her professional state. Sakura was assigned for helping, and it frightened her to know that person was Shisui.

But Sakura was at work. Worrying meant nothing here or even made things worse. Sakura was professional at work, maintaining her composure and calm clear mind to follow Mito's instructions. They had to control his blood bleeding, running a lot of tests, and finally, they had discussed whether to remove the bullets or not. But Shisui's situation was required to remove two bullets as they penetrated his internal organs and were likely to cause infection. The other one was in his shoulder, but it could be left there for further observation as it seemed to stay in place. The operation took about several tiring hours. After Sakura got out of the operation room, she saw Izuna and Shisui's parents sit waiting outside the operation room. She smiled, a bit tired. Seeing her smile, they at least could breathe a sigh of relief.

Mito called Shisui's parents for informing and explaining his case, and Shisui would be hospitalised for some weeks.

When Shisui woke up, his mother couldn't help crying while his father could only sigh and tap his hand on his wife's back. Shisui grinned, as brightly as he could, to assure his mother that everything was okay, despite feeling the pain after the anaesthetic lost its effect. It hurt him when he was the reason for his parents' worry. 

He would not make his parents worry about him. He would be a good child. He would listen to the doctor's instructions to recover fully before getting back to his honoured job. 

That was what Shisui had thought before he felt he was becoming mouldy, for the hospital made him sick to death. But he had to stay there. His parents said they would disown him if he left the hospital against medical advice. He thought he could use a bit the power of his sweets-friend relationship network, but Dr Sakura was so savage. Shisui nostalgically recalled the time Sakura's face reddened. 

Just like a little bunny.

Now like a tiger.

"Sakura," he complained, "when can I say goodbye to this hospital?"

"You guess."

"You aren't lovely anymore."

"Excuse me?"

"In this hospital, you're not Sakura I've known," Shisui feigned criticising.

"So, who am I?"

"Senju Yamanashi."

"It's me," casually said Sakura.

"When can I have my sweets?"

"You had a bullet in your stomach."

"I'll call Commander Izuna to beat that criminal on my behalf," Shisui lamented. "There were many positions to shoot; why did he insist on my abdomen!!!"

"Where do you want him to shoot you then? Your heart?"

"You're definitely not our lovely Sakura!"

"Only you think it's lovely," she growled.

"Why not?"

"Do you think freaking out and recklessness makes me a bad person?"

"Hm…" Shisui thought. "I think it depends. Well, of course, it's likely to cause serious consequences in some situations. It's quite bad, but it doesn't make a person a bad person. Besides, it's not all of you, Sakura. If someone wanna exaggerate your not good enough side, and like the director chooses to focus his camera on those details, you'll be labelled as a bad one."

"But," Shisui proudly continued, "life is to befriend with someone like me - a person who can see and value the good side of other people. Your father and Kakashi only advised you not to act so recklessly, but they'll never say they won't love you because of that. Sometimes your reckless actions look cute, though. Haha. You're a good doctor, Sakura. You saved lives, and whether others acknowledge it or not, you did save many lives."

"Hm…"

"If you act, you will definitely make mistakes, Sakura," Shisui advised. "You won't make mistakes only when you don't act. Just stand in one place, and use any excuses you want, and people will feel you don't do anything wrong. But it means you do nothing."

"But there are people who seem to never make mistakes."

"Who?" Shisui frowned.

"Like Itachi," she said.

"What makes you think Itachi never makes mistakes?" Shisui laughed. "Besides, you use the word 'seem', Sakura. The director of your brain only put the camera on Itachi's perfect side. He's only human, Sakura. Uchiha men are action type. They act, and mistakes are inevitable."

"What do you think about Itachi, Sakura?" Shisui nonchalantly asked.

"Think?" Sakura looked confused. "What do you mean by 'think'?"

"Like his personality…" Shisui hinted.

"Calm," briefly replied Sakura.

"Have you ever thought of a ruthless Itachi?"

"Ruthless?" Sakura was surprised. "What are you talking about?!"

"I'll change to another word," Shisui took a while before he spoke again, "like unbalanced."

She gaped at him. Shisui sighed.

"Playing this game with you is so boring, Sakura."

"What game? We're talking about Itachi! How can Itachi be unbalanced?"

"This is the hospital!" Shisui lamented. "Use your psychology knowledge, Sakura. We're playing a psychology game on the most interesting topic: Itachi."

"Huh?" Sakura thought. "It's hard to apply psychology knowledge on Itachi, though. But if you ask me to generalise the situation, I can imagine a bit."

"Then what's your logical imagination?"

"Like people who tend to suppress their feelings for a long time," Sakura found her words, "they'll explode one day. Most people will get stressed and have some mental disorders, and depend on their conditions, and they'll need to have a break, take medicine, or have to talk with psychologists. They could go crazy and even commit suicide. Others…"

She didn't finish her sentence.

"Others…" Shisui repeated her last word to ask her to continue.

"Others will be breakable when they reach some certain points. This situation's quite rare, though," Sakura finished.

"Why is it quite rare?"

"Because those people have an immaculate control on their feelings, which means their personalities originally are the base for their control. Most people don't have such ideal personalities and of course, high IQ to contemplate their own way of managing and balancing their lives."

"So, back to our topic."

"Itachi?"

"Connect it, Sakura," Shisui talked, vaguely. "We have to maintain some kind of balance to live well. Today, you feel sad; tomorrow, you feel happy. You make mistakes; you create something great. We have the opposite side of our dominant side inside us. People getting stressed will show some stress on their faces and behaviours, so what about a person like Itachi, staying calm all the time? Where's his opposite side?"

"Unbalanced."

"Exactly!" Shisui sighed. "That's what I worry about, Sakura."

"But what makes him unbalanced?" Sakura asked. "Like I told you, those rare people with high IQ control things very well. It breaks them only when there's a trigger. Itachi has people supporting him like you. Hardly will he fall into such a situation. Itachi is a careful, cautious weasel, you know it."

"It's right," Shisui sighed, rubbing his hair. "This topic went too far."

"People go crazy because no one stands by their sides for them to share their feelings, but Itachi has many people who love him. He'll be okay."

"You're right," Shisui came back his sunny Shisui's mode. "He has such an amazing friend like me."

"Haha."

"So when can I have my sweets?"

"Not now."

"Sakura…"

"No."

"Dr Sakura."

"No."

"Dr Senju."

"Of course no."

"Dr Uchiha!!!"

"I'll call my father," Sakura joked.

"I'll kick that criminal's ass myself when I'm back to work," Shisui huffed.

"It's lucky that you're alive, Shisui," seriously said Sakura.

"I know," Shisui sighed. "I thought of death at that time. It's lucky, though. Commander noticed something unusual and sent Genma to check out. Oh… it's highly classified. I can't tell you."

"You should be more careful, Shisui," Sakura said with concern. "When you were sent to this hospital, I think whoever heard of the news would be worried to death."

"But I made it here," Shisui smiled, "alive. Isn't it amazing?"

"Maybe in another faraway universe, you died young, so someone protects you now, granting what you should be compensated for."

"What?!" Shisui exclaimed. "Is there a universe that Uchiha Shisui died young? I'm such a good person. That universe was definitely unfair!"

"Hahaha," Sakura laughed, "just a theory. We reap what we sow. But people usually say if you can live after a deadly accident, you'll have a blessing then."

Shisui brightly beamed.

"So what's my blessing then?"

"Hm," Sakura said, "maybe you're granted for a hundred years of life in this world, or more."

"Who guarantees that?"

"Dr Haruno, or Dr Senju," Sakura smirked, "who do you want to get the guarantee from?"

"Dr Haruno then."

"So Dr Haruno hereby grants you a hundred-year-old life."

"Can Dr Haruno grant me some sweets?"

"You have your porridge."

"No!!!"

"You can secretly ask Itachi to grant your wish," she playfully suggested.

"It's hopeless to ask Itachi! You know it," Shisui lamented. "No bargaining with Uchiha Itachi when he's serious."

"Haha."

"Enjoy your days here," Sakura smiled, handing him a bag. "I brought some books for you to read. I know the Uchihas love reading books."

"Picture books?"

"Uh."

"You're Sakura then!"

"I'll leave now," she looked at the clock, standing up.

"Huh?" Shisui questioned. "Today is Sunday…"

"I'm having an appointment with a friend later this morning," Sakura said. "I heard from Itachi that he planned to visit you tonight. Enjoy your books, and wait for your best friend."

"And bargain with him," Shisui determinedly said.

"You can try," Sakura smiled.

"Thank you, Sakura," Shisui said from behind when Sakura opened the door, ready to leave.

"I also have to thank you," she looked back and smiled again.

Yoko asked her out many times, but she was too busy. Rescheduling too many times made her feel guilty, so she called Yoko to check whether today was okay. Yoko happily agreed, making her think she was such a lousy friend. 

Your friend is so generous, she thought inwardly. 

Since Yoko dismissed Sakura's ideas on trying spending time with Itachi, Sakura started to learn to stay friendly and be a listener only. And Yoko gradually seemed to avoid any topic relating to Itachi. She spoke about places she went, the food she made, what her friends had told her.

But today was different.

Yoko called for a loaf of bread and a glass of lemon juice, while Sakura ordered a sweet pineapple cake with a glass of strawberry juice. They chatted here and there until Yoko suddenly mentioned Itachi.

"I wanna give a try with Itachi as you suggested," Yoko said.

"Really?" Sakura happily exclaimed.

But Yoko looked disturbed.

"Yoko…"

"Sakura," she stroked her glass, biting her lips, "do you know Itachi loves anyone before marriage?"

"What?" Sakura felt surprised. "As far as I know, he didn't. What makes you think so?"

"I once saw Itachi hold an earring."

"Huh?"

"A jade earring," Yoko added.

"Then? Maybe it's a gift for Mikoto," Sakura guessed.

"No," Yoko shook her head, "it belongs to someone very special to him."

"How do you know?"

"He stroked it very lightly and dearly," Yoko explained, "it's like a treasure to him. Besides, it's only one earring. It isn't a pair; it couldn't be a gift!"

"Hm…" Sakura took a sip of her strawberry juice. "But why do you need to care about it? If that woman exists, she is the past." 

"But if Itachi still misses her, I mean…" Yoko's voice trailed off, and then she took a deep breath to continue, "you once advised me to try, right? I mean…if he still loves her, I have no chance."

"No," Sakura dismissed immediately, "if Itachi loves someone, he'll not marry you, Yoko. Itachi is not a type allowing others to control him."

"You're right," Yoko smiled. "I just thought of many nonsense things these days."

"So, you wanna give a try with him?" Sakura asked for a confirmation.

Yoko nodded, blushing.

"It's great."

But Yoko still looked so disturbed.

"Is there anything else bothering you?"

"When we…on the bed, he kissed me."

"Yoko..." Sakura felt this topic was quite sensitive.

"Sakura, I told you he was very gentle, even in bed. But there is something distant there."

"Distant?"

"Uh."

"What do you mean?"

"He never kissed my lips," Yoko explained. "I don't know why, but he could kiss my jawline, my neck, but my lips…he never kissed them."

"Hm…" Sakura felt her experience was not enough to discuss this matter.

"He's very traditional," Yoko timidly said.

"The Uchihas…eh…tend to be traditional," Sakura laughed it off. 

Do I need to come back and ask Sasuke? Sakura wondered inwardly.

"I think you have to make a move first, Yoko," Sakura said. "I mean, when you and Itachi get close enough, you can ask him why then."

"But I don't know how to make a move," Yoko confessed.

"You can cook him something," Sakura suggested.

"What should I cook then?" Yoko asked. "He stayed aloof from me all the time."

"Sweets then," Sakura brightly gave her first suggestion.

"But Itachi doesn't like sweets," Yoko said, smiling mildly. "You can't force him to eat things you like, Sakura."

Sakura froze for a while.

"What's the matter, Sakura?" 

"I mean…" Sakura tried to find her words, "you can try cooking various types of food or desserts. Itachi will appreciate that. It's not the food itself, but your paying time for it matters."

"I will," Yoko smiled.

It confused Sakura. How could Yoko who loved Itachi dearly not know that Itachi loved sweets? He didn't eat sweets at any party or event, but at least he enjoyed it at home, right?

Or was it because Itachi didn't allow her to close the distance between them? Their relationship was that bad…

She then went to the supermarket to buy some fresh vegetables and fruits and drove to her little old man's house. Sakura maintained the habit to fill the refrigerator of her first home. When she and Naruto grew up, getting a job, busy at work, Kakashi didn't need to come home early to cook dinner, and they usually didn't even notice to refill the refrigerator. There was a particular type of person who thought cooking was easy but going to the supermarket to choose ingredients was tiring. It was definitely Kakashi. It was a complicated feeling to see her first home becoming like that, lacking the sense of family. Kakashi raised her and Naruto, so now let them take care of him. Naruto was a mess himself, but he could accompany Kakashi, so she took care of the refrigerator, cleaning and throwing expired stuff (Naruto didn't care expiry date), and refilling, writing a note if necessary. And there was another important thing: Cleaning Naruto's room — another mess. 

Sakura left this house since she reclaimed her official name. Tobirama expressed his intention to spend some time with her, so he earnestly talked with Kakashi about that matter, and they decided to ask her opinion. She moved to the Senju manor with a condition to come back to her little house whenever she wanted. Tobirama did know Kakashi's position in Sakura's heart, never once forcing her to do things she didn't want. Sometimes she wondered why Tobirama could be an understanding father like that. He didn't look that way. One day she asked her cheerful uncle about that; all she received was his quick shift from being delighted to sober.

"He's your father, Nashi."

Briefly. Seriously. Nostalgically.

Before going home to enjoy her weekends with her husband (he'll back tonight), Sakura looked at the watch and felt she still had some time, so she decided to stop by the hospital to recheck her sweets-friend.

Shisui was concentrating on reading books. It seemed as if he was so absorbed into it that he didn't notice the door was opened. The sunlight of a late afternoon penetrated through the glass window, making the room look warm and peaceful.

"Sakura," Shisui finally noticed her, greeting happily.

"Just come to check whether or not you're bored to death," Sakura joked. "It looks like everything is okay."

Shisui smiled without saying a word in a while. This was Uchiha Shisui, anyway. A Shisui was energetic and cheerful, and an Uchiha shaped deep inside him a solemn quiet man. Izumi said it right; it was not easy to befriend with Shisui. And Shisui, according to the game they played on the topic Itachi this morning, must be a man who was the most balanced in his clan.

"How was your day?"

"Wonderful," Sakura listed, "talking with a friend, going to the supermarket, visiting my old first house to fill the refrigerator, and cleaning Naruto's messy room."

"And then coming back to visit your sweets-friend without sweets," Shisui turned on his sunny huffing mode.

All of a sudden, recollecting of her conversation with Yoko, Sakura was curious.

"Shisui."

"Huh?"

"Did Itachi…hm…"

"Itachi what?" Shisui was curious, adding. "Now you want to continue our interesting topic?"

"Never mind," she dismissed what she mentioned.

"Hey!" Shisui complained. "You aroused my curiosity, and you told me to forget it. Tell me, what?"

"I think it's inappropriate," Sakura hesitated. It made Shisui more curious.

"We don't tell Itachi," he grinned.

"I…"

"I am his best friend," Shisui smiled, confidently explaining. "Just tell me. Don't worry. I know my limits."

"Did Itachi love anyone before marriage?"

Shisui closed the book in his hand at once, making a quite loud sound in this quiet room.

"What makes you ask that question?" Shisui tapped lightly on his book.

"I…just wonder…"

"You're telling a lie," Shisui looked at her thoughtfully. "You always wear your heart on your sleeve, Sakura. This question can't come from nowhere."

What Yoko said to her in the party was still in her head. Shisui disliked Yoko.

"I…"

Shisui burst out laughing.

"Don't be so serious, Sakura," Shisui laughed. "Just look at you, being tricked by my serious face. Hahaha."

"Shisui!"

"Haha," he continued, "so what next? Tell Shisui now! He enjoys it."

"I…just…thought of it out of nowhere all the way walking to here…" Sakura was still trying to reason her question.

"Itachi has his wife," Shisui indifferently replied.

"No," she shook her head, "I'm talking about before marriage."

"He had to know his wife before marriage to marry her, Sakura," Shisui quickly said.

Sakura said nothing. 

"Is there anything else?"

"Huh?" Sakura looked back at him.

"I mean…" Shisui brightly said. "You have to have some specific image in your mind, right? We're playing a game, remember?"

She nodded.

"Imagine, Sakura," Shisui said. "If the woman you're talking about exists, what would she look like? I bet she has a big nose!"

"What?!"

"Crook teeth."

"Hey!"

"Greasy brown hair."

"No!"

"So what?" He laughed. "Elephant ears with golden chain tassel earrings?"

"No! It's jade!" 

"Huh?" Shisui looked at her as if he was confused and curious. "Why is it jade?"

"I don't know," she told the truth. She definitely knew nothing, but Sakura was hiding something. Therefore, her mind worked in the way of concealing it at its best. She tried to reason it. "I don't know why that word jumped out of my mind. Maybe because I just saw an advertisement about jade jewellery and can't forget it."

"Hm…" Shisui was silent, then bursting out laughing again. "Oh my goodness, elephant ears with jade earrings!!!"

"…"

"Okay okay…" Shisui looked at her, grinning. "Some coincidence here. Itachi does have a precious pair of jade earrings."

This attracted Sakura's curiosity.

"But it belonged to his grandma," Shisui said.

"Grandma?"

"Uh," Shisui nodded. "I don't know much about it. But it's from his grandma."

"Your imagination is so excellent, Sakura," Shisui still laughed. "Use your imagination and help Shisui to persuade Uchiha Itachi to give Shisui sweets."

"It's impossible!" Sakura barked back.

"Sakuraaa," Shisui stretched Sakura's name.

"Think of it yourself," she laughed. "I don't wanna be Itachi's opponent."

Shisui crossed his arms across his chest, turning his head away, huffing.

Sakura laughed again. They chatted here and there for some more minutes before she went home. And once again, she left the room, said goodbye to Shisui, and closed the door, without knowing Shisui staring at the door for a very long time.

2.

"Sasuke…"

"Huh?"

"Is there any man…hm…never kissing the woman while…hm…on the bed?"

"…"

"Sasuke…," she called him because she didn't hear the answer.

"…"

"Sasuke…"

"I don't know."

Sasuke really couldn't understand how his wife's brain functioned.

"They say men understand men."

"So you women understand women?"

"…"

"But…"

"People with the same background even can't understand each other, Sakura. If just having same gender or same background is the condition for understanding each other, this world is much easier and more boring."

"…"

"…"

"Sasuke…"

"Uh?"

"But if that man were you, what would it mean?"

"…"

"Sasuke…"

"…"

"Sasuke…"

"Can we sleep?"

"I'm energetic!" Being Kakashi’s adopted daughter and Naruto’s sister, living with dogs, growing up with dogs, she was energetic!!!

"…"

"Sasuke…"

"Again…"

"Uh?"

"You had to wake up early that morning," Sasuke nonchalantly commented.

"Uh?"

"Why did you ask me that question?"

"Hm…you know…gossip in the hospital…"

"The gossip among the nurses in your hospital should be reported to someone," he said.

"Just gossip!"

"I think I should phone your father to end it," he looked at the ceiling.

"It's nothing serious," she complained. "Also, dad won't answer your phone call," she giggled.

"You're wrong," Sasuke said. "No matter how much he hates me, he will stop everything to answer my phone call."

"Erh???"

"You…stupid…"

"Hey!"

"So can we sleep?"

"I want an answer to my question!"

"I told you, I don't know."

"You're a man."

He sighed.

"Where does the logic 'men understand men' come from?"

"I don't care," she insisted, "you're a man; you should know the answer. Otherwise, you're not!"

"…"

"Sa…" she trailed off when noticing his hand snake between her legs, caressing that place. She was wearing a nightgown, which was easy for Sasuke to make his way. Her dress now was scrolled on her belly.

"I'm… I'm…asking…," Sakura felt it hard to form a fluent and complete sentence.

Sakura was a sensitive type, or to be more precise, she became wet very fast. She felt her underwear sticky now. Sasuke still said nothing, as if he even didn't mind the underwear. He moved another hand to the upper part and stripped it down. This time he trailed his hand to her belly and trailed it back, slipping his hand under the underwear, stroking her private place.

"Sa..su…suke…" 

He stroke faster and more vigorously. Sakura moaned like begging, louder and louder, unconsciously opening her legs wider.

"Sa…"

"You seemed to insist on your question," hoarsely said Sasuke. "Ask, and I'll answer."

But the response was moaning and whimpering.

"I'm aski…ahhhh…" but he entered one finger.

"Ask what?"

"You…ah…ahh…" another finger entered, in and out. Sasuke had an exceptional good handiwork. 

Sasuke got up, taking off her underwear, and spreading her legs wider. He continued where he left. Stroking, and putting his fingers in and out, eyeing Sakura's face. Sometimes slowly and gently. Sometimes fast and vigorously. The room was full of Sakura's whining. And some tiny squelching sound.

He took off his pyjama, lean his body onto her.

"I'm answering your question," he put a swift kiss on her lips lightly and gently and then kneeled back.

"Also to remind you of the night you might forget," he tapped lightly on her private place.

That night…

Sakura was usually the dominant one on the bed. She always thought so. Sasuke was a pure and slow-burnt lover, so she almost took the leading role. Her Sasuke was a Bambi on the bed. But that night, she tricked Sasuke, tying him on the bed, and on the halfway, she ran away, but somehow Sasuke untied it and dragged her back when she hadn't moved more than three steps. She still remembered that unforgettable night. Sasuke only said one sentence after pressing her back on the bed: "If I don't allow you to be the dominant one, do you think you can, Sakura?" The disparity between his and her strength was shown very clearly that night when he used one hand to hold her two hands on the top of her head.

"Sa…su…suke…" Sakura whined, "I've to…go to…w…work…"

Thinking of that night, when she woke up, she couldn't move, lying on the bed, watching Sasuke getting dressed like nothing had happened. That night was Saturday. But today was Sunday… 

"You still remember you have to work tomorrow?" he chuckled, slipping himself inside all at once. Sakura cried.

"I gave you many warnings tonight," he moved his hip, holding her buttocks. "Besides, I already gave you my answer."

"Wh…ah…when?"

"You…stupid!"

It was a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a stoic, author-san is as pure as Sasuke *covering the face with both hands*


	15. Whirlpool

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Itachi managed to finish all of the paper works he had to deal with so as to spare some time to visit Shisui. Coming back from the festival was only to see the work waiting for you on the table become more and more, but he got used to it already. Sometimes, work could keep his mind focusing and clear of unnecessary thoughts. He received a call from Sakura informing him of Shisui's being admitted to the hospital with a brief explanation. This was the second time that Shisui went straight to the hospital like this. With his health condition, only Shisui's parents were allowed to enter the room in the first few days. Sakura did send him messages to update Shisui's situation, and he was just informed some days ago that he could pay his best friend a visit this weekend.

Itachi brought nothing but himself to the hospital, making Shisui look at him in disappointment and betrayal.

"Do you know it's customary to bring something when visiting a patient?"

"You're not allowed to eat sweets," bluntly and casually noted Itachi.

"I don't say it must be sweets," Shisui argued.

"But that's what you mean," Itachi smiled.

"At least you should bring flowers," Shisui huffed.

"So those dahlias are not enough for you," Itachi calmly gave a critic, looking at the vase on the bedside table. "If Sakura knows this…"

"Itachi!" Shisui yelled. "What's the purpose of this visit?! You wanna make me angry, right?"

"You won't."

"Sometimes, you're as boring as other Uchihas in our clan," Shisui complained.

"So how are you feeling now?"

"Good recovery," Shisui complained, "but required to be jailed here for a while."

"I'll visit you more often then," Itachi smiled.

"You don't need to," Shisui turned on his Uchiha mode. "You have your duty, and I'm recovering well. Also, Sakura usually drops by here."

Mentioning Sakura, Shisui frowned. Itachi noticed that, but he said nothing, merely waiting.

"Itachi."

"What's that?"

"Sakura asked me whether you loved anyone before marriage," Shisui retold what had happened this morning. 

"She must be curious," Itachi answered.

"No," Shisui protested. "There must be something behind. I'm a member of the Special Forces, Itachi. Her face is, yes, curious, but when being asked why, she told a lie. Have you ever thought of…"

"No way," calmly quickly replied Itachi.

"She also talked about your jade earrings."

"It's normal, though," Itachi commented after thinking for a relatively long time.

"You called it normal?" Shisui explained. "But the problem is that she mentioned the jade earrings like she didn't know anything about it."

"It's nothing abnormal, Shisui," Itachi thoughtfully said. "What do you expect then?"

"I shouldn't have allowed you to have a hand in that case, Itachi," Shisui sighed. "Sometimes I thought if I had reported to Commander Izuna, what would it have been?"

"And Sakura would have been subjected to lengthy interrogations," Itachi continued. "You know it, Shisui. We even didn't know her situation until I talked to her."

Shisui looked at the black sky through the glass window.

"I don't know," Shisui admitted. "That incident messed her up. Everything is absurd because it looks perfectly normal."

He continued.

"One question is always bothering me," Shisui confessed, "and I never asked you before. But I do wanna know the answer."

Itachi looked straight at Shisui's eyes.

"Itachi, did you participate in any part of resulting in this absurd situation?"

"What do you mean by 'participate'?"

"After that incident, even when we realised she was messed up, Sakura still chose to rely on your shoulder and cry in your arms, Itachi," Shisui looked seriously, "but I noticed the atmosphere between you and her changed after some weeks. What happened in those weeks, Itachi?"

"Is the answer important?"

"Itachi!"

"Is it that important?" Itachi casually said, keeping his composure. 

Shisui took a deep breath, "Maybe not, Itachi. You're right; we can't do anything. It's absurd and illogical, but it happened. I'm talking to you, not as an officer, but as a friend, Itachi. It ended there. We're best friends, but you just bottle up everything. It hurts me to see you try to carry all by yourself. I remember you said that the Uchihas had the extremes in their blood, so what did you do in those weeks Itachi? What was the extreme you had done, Itachi?"

"You have your assumption," Itachi commented.

"I do," Shisui nodded, "even Izumi can sense something wrong. And…Itachi, have you ever thought of a day when Sasuke discovers everything?"

"He won't," Itachi looked at the ceiling, and then looked back at Shisui. "These things will die with me, Shisui."

"It means you're not going to tell me what you did in those weeks," Shisui closed his eyes.

"You have your assumption. And you understand me."

"Damn you, Itachi."

"Shisui," Itachi smiled. "She chose half of it, and I helped her choose the other half left."

"You shouldn't have," Shisui bluntly gave his opinion. "Have you ever thought about what will happen if Sasuke knows everything? He would kill you, Itachi."

"I don't think so," Itachi contemplated. "Do you remember the story of our clan history?"

"You seem to be obsessed with that story."

"The first patriarch of our clan after the exile to the plateau was the younger brother of that young talented boy. He bore the whole clan on his shoulders — both the deaths and those who were alive. Can you imagine, Shisui? How would the clan treat him when he was the younger brother of the clan killer? And how much weight did he have to carry on his shoulders? That patriarch never got married, adopting a child of a clan member's family to be his next heir. When everything couldn't be solved at once, his life was destined to be alone with all the weights that no patriarchs ever imagined throughout our history. He was rumoured to find his dead brother's body and bury him properly, Shisui," Itachi took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "I don't know why, but I feel Sasuke has some similarities with that patriarch. Sasuke is a very forgiving boy, Shisui."

"Well," Shisui shrugged his shoulders, "Sasuke was named after that patriarch's name, wasn't he? If that patriarch hadn't ordered to erase the name of his elder brother, maybe we would have had your name named after his. A perfect match, huh?"

"Have you ever thought why he ordered to erase his elder brother's name?" Itachi asked.

"I don't know," Shisui shook his head. "I've never thought of that question. Some people said he felt his brother was a shame to the clan."

"No," Itachi dismissed. "He wanted to protect his elder brother, Shisui."

"So," Shisui crossed his arms in front of his chest, "now you want to review clan history with me, right? Let me remind you. The clan history also wrote that he was rumoured to kill his betrothed."

"I don't believe that."

"You choose to believe that he buried his brother properly but refuse to believe he killed his betrothed when both were rumours?" Shisui argued.

"Well," Itachi said, "first, he buried a clan killer properly proves he was a very forgiving person. Think, Shisui. That young talented boy, of course, was not allowed to exile with the clan. Our clan could accept anything but betrayal. So how could his younger brother bury him without finding him? Even when he erased his elder brother's name, he did demand the clan members to know his elder brother was used. Such a person must value love inside, so if you follow that premise, he definitely didn't kill his betrothed, or at least, it must have had some reasons behind."

"I remember that Madara attended my history class of that lesson," Shisui commented. "He gave a more man's perspective on that rumour."

"Hm?" Itachi raised his eyebrows. "I've never had a chance to hear him talk about that."

"He said to our class very bluntly," Shisui recalled. "Something like: 'If your parents are killed, will you think of romantic love or revenge, not to mention that was half of the clan members' lives?' He said it right; I have to admit that. Facing the deaths of those beloved, no one has time to think of personal love interest. But not having time for love is different from killing a betrothed."

"I give him the benefit of the doubt that there must have had some reasons behind," Itachi stood firm.

"If Izumi hears your argument, she will argue more passionately than me."

"Ah," Itachi chuckled, "she and all of the clan girls in my history class took the betrothed's side at that time. The clan teacher had to settle the argument because we nearly had a big fight between boys and girls. Girls in our clan look mild but very fierce inside; while boys joked, they did prepare for a fight."

"Really???" Shisui shouted. "My goodness, I wanna see that scene. But how did the teacher settle it?"

"He feigned falling unconscious, and the whole class had to call the clan doctor for an emergency."

"What?!" Shisui laughed, holding his stomach. "Don't make me laugh, Itachi. My stomach hurts!!!"

"We went too far on this topic," Itachi chuckled.

"Sometimes the clan elders make stupid decisions, but it's no doubt that one of their greatest ideas is to organise the clan classes during summer vacation for all to join," Shisui brightly commented, "just for spending time messing around."

Itachi smiled, "Madara will reprimand you. The clan elders won't let you see your beloved Teleporter again as a punishment for your careless comment."

"Will I?" Shisui joked.

"You're talking to the heir of the clan," Itachi joked back. 

"Haha," Shisui laughed. "To talk about Madara, is he still bothering you?"

"No," Itachi shook his head, "I have to admit Sasuke can solve things I can't."

"Huh?" 

"I heard from Kisame that Deidara caused some troubles in the Akatsuki, and he declared that he wouldn't listen to Pein until he met his big boss. Pein lost patience with him, and you know, Pein also wanted Madara to stop wandering around and leaving everything for him, so he exploited that situation to drag Madara back to the organisation."

"Which role did Sasuke play in that story?"

"Deidara is Sasuke's friend," Itachi hinted.

"I feel I'm old now," Shisui lamented. "I remember little Sasuke told me Deidara was a nuisance when he was a kid. Now you're telling me the news they become friends."

"Deidara loves bothering Sasuke," Itachi chuckled. "I have a feeling that who can become friends with Sasuke must meet one requirement: being a nuisance, such as Sakura, Naruto, Deidara."

"So the next will be Madara!"

Itachi smiled at Shisui's statement.

"What about Kisame?" Shisui asked. "I haven't heard anything from him for years."

"Just only his stuffed animals can bring him enough money to live for a hundred years," Itachi said. 

"Oh, that company is that big," Shisui rubbed his hair. "He always thinks stuffed animals must look cool and looks down on those stuffed bunnies, right? Who knows people these days love stuffed things like dinosaurs and sharks! Does Sasuke know that his stuffed dinosaur is your special order as a customer to Kisame?"

"I think he knows," Itachi smiled. "He's not a happy-go-lucky child anymore."

"Itachi, are you serious about adopting Sasuke's child as your next heir?"

"I'm serious."

"So," Shisui thought for a while, "when I can't serve the Special Forces anymore, remember to select me in the list of potential clan elders; I'll come back and assist that child."

"You utilise your relationship with me to promote yourself?" Itachi joked.

"Itachi!" Shisui yelled. "Do you know the value of Uchiha Shisui?!"

"I know," Itachi smiled. "He's the clan heir's best friend."

Shisui took a deep breath, looking at the dahlias in the vase on the bedside table.

"I have to admit one thing, Itachi," Shisui confessed. "I love everything now. I mean…I just need to see those I love happy, and I'll feel happy. Problem is inevitable, but we can solve it together, and I love this feeling. I don't wish anything so big so special, Itachi. Just like this. Peaceful."

Itachi nodded slightly. The night in the hospital seemed to be quieter, shedding on them something indescribable. Itachi understood what Shisui meant to say. The feeling of peacefully seeing days smoothly slipping through his fingers. In the end, it was so grateful to see that his parents were healthy, that his friends excitedly chirped at the same topic after years, that his clan members were devotedly working and didn't waste a single minute in their lives for hatred, that the next generations were raised and educated with meticulous care, and that his younger brother had a little happy family. No need for big parties and shiny things. Just like this. Being with the people he loved, even silence felt so soothing.

Before Itachi left, Shisui called his name.

"Itachi, is it true that you already let things go?"

"Uh."

"Why did you give up that easily, Itachi?"

"Things come and go, Shisui."

"Sometimes I feel even I myself can't understand you, Itachi. You say we're Uchihas with the extremes, and I was thinking about it. Is the extreme the reason why you let things go?"

"Then what should I have done?"

"You should have told her the truth."

"Then?"

Shisui couldn't find anything to say. Itachi was right. Things happened. What was 'then'? 

"I don't know, Itachi. What would have happened if you had told the truth right after the incident? But I always feel you should have tried telling her once even when she was already messed up. Even until now, everything has been absurd. We even don't know what exactly happened…I hate that feeling."

"Things happen in their ways," Itachi replied.

"But we are the ones making choices, Itachi."

"And you can't change what has been made, Shisui."

"Have you ever regretted it?"

"Is it important?"

"Your feelings are important to me," Shisui emphasised. "Some biases here. We are humans; we have biases. One of my biases is you, Itachi. Yes, it is not important for the whole situation now, but your feelings matter, to me, and also to Izumi, although how much we disagree with how you dealt with it."

"Thank you, Shisui," Itachi sincerely said.

"Damn you, Itachi!" Shisui swore. "I wasted my saliva giving a whole lecture only to receive a thank-you! My polite courteous manners never last long when I talk with you."

Itachi said nothing, smiling and silently look at Shisui. 

Shisui sighed.

"I wanna go home with my mama," Shisui huffed. "I don't wanna see you. Every time I discuss serious matters with you, I feel like I'm getting a migraine."

"I'm sorry."

"Again!" Shisui barked, waving his hand as a sign of driving away Itachi. "Uchiha Shisui allows you to leave. Just leave. Go back home. Have a good sleep. Let Shisui's soul be at peace."

"Yes, sir."

"Itachi," Shisui called his best friend’s name again, in the mixture of complicated feelings — worry and hope, genuinely reminded Itachi, "when you feel you can't bear it anymore, remember that I'm always available to listen."

He nodded.

"Goodnight, Itachi."

"Goodnight, Shisui."

And the door closed.

When Itachi got into his car and was about to start the engine, his phone rang. He took it out and saw it was Yoko. They had been living separately recently. No one talked about separation; it just came naturally. 

It caused Itachi to feel uncanny. But he was her husband; he always remembered it. 

"Yoko," Itachi greeted.

"Itachi," Yoko called his name and then paused for a few seconds before she continued, "could you come home tonight? I want to discuss something with you."

"Sure," Itachi replied, "I'll be there within 30 minutes. Have you had dinner yet?"

"No, I haven't."

"I'll buy something for you."

"You don't need to," Yoko said, "I just ordered some food enough for both of us."

"Okay, then."

Itachi had had dinner before with Shisui. He enjoyed his colourful meal ordered at the hospital restaurant while Shisui had no choice but to slurp his porridge. But Itachi was an exemplar of courtesy; he didn't refuse to have dinner again with Yoko. After dinner, the maid entered to clean things while both of them left to the living room. 

"What do you want to discuss with me?" Itachi, as gentle as he was, asked.

"I want to save our marriage."

Itachi's face revealed no information. No surprise. No confusion. No anger. No disapprobation. No excitement. It was his composure as per usual. It was unshakable.

"What do you mean?"

"I know we don't love each other, but living like this is not what I want. I…I just wanna live peacefully with you."

"We do."

"No," Yoko protested, "what I mean is to live with you as husband and wife."

Itachi scrutinised her face, not saying a word. 

"So," he pondered, "what do you want me to do?"

"I…" Yoko hesitated, "I hope we spend some time together. We can begin again."

"Okay, then."


	16. Crack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Sakura was late for work.

And now she was stuck in the traffic jam.

And today she had an important meeting with an internationally renowned toxicologist from another nation whom she had never met before. Since her life was buried in books and hospital, she had no clue about this world. People only had time to post this or that on social media because they were not busy enough, which was why the age range of its users belonged to young people. Sakura, of course, was still young, but it was just a different case now. She used to be addicted to social media when she was a teenager, posting pictures of Pakkun and her daily life, updating status, and enjoying commenting with friends; yet, now her account was abandoned with a thick layer of dusk on it. Even all her friends followed this path; they rarely posted things online. Well, there were so many things waiting for an adult with a job and a family to deal with. Life was as such.

Sasuke never used social media; neither did Itachi and Shisui. They had official accounts for business managed by specifically assigned teams, but their clan members stayed away from that. She once attended a party with Sasuke, only to find out there were some kinds of foods they were never allowed to eat, especially in night parties. When she expressed her confusion towards those eating rules, Sasuke tapped his hand on her head like she was a dog (Sakura knew it! Sasuke inwardly assumed she and Naruto were two stupid dogs) and hinted her to use her medical knowledge on those foods. She had to admit the Uchihas were so cautious! No, neither did her father. Spending time with the Uchihas and the Senjus taught her how to distinguish nouveau riches and old money. Somehow the parvenu tended to show off their wealth and enjoy their lives in luxury, spoiling their kids without consideration. The Uchihas and the Senjus, however, lived cautious secret lives with some (or many, like the Uchihas) strict rules. They knew one thing: Children mustn't be spoiled under any circumstances because they will bear the whole future. Construction of something was always arduous and required much time and effort, but destruction might take just a second of carelessness. Entire clan labour for generations could be destroyed simply in one single generation.

Sasuke did have an account created by Naruto and her. At that time, they secretly took a photo of Sasuke and created one account without his consent, and then used that account to add friends with their accounts in order to tag Sasuke every time they were hanging around with each other. That account had a bio: "Naruto and Sakura's best friend". Lots of people sent requests to be friends with Sasuke, and Naruto felt such a game was so interesting. Sometimes Naruto opened the account (they seldom used it after creating it), he found so many strangers' messages with juicy love letters. Thanks to Naruto, the word 'seen' was seen by many girls whose hearts were broken once receiving no replies but a 'seen'. Sasuke and even Naruto and Sakura never knew the account had a hand in creating Sasuke a figure of a heartless man in rumours.

She heard from her professor that this toxicologist was a grandchild of Prof. Chiyo's. It was so impolite to be late in a meeting with a special guest like that. Sakura felt hopeless. She had to call Tsunade to report her situation that she was terribly sorry in advance because it was likely that she couldn't make it in time. Luckily, Tsunade nonchalantly told her not to rush as the guest had called some hours ago that his flight was delayed.

"But Chiyo already came here yesterday."

"Really?" Sakura happily exclaimed. No one told her that Prof. Chiyo would come too.

"Yeah," Tsunade sourly commented. "I know you love that annoying old lady much more than me."

"No no no," Sakura quickly proved her loyalty. "You are always the best in my heart. How can your student not love you? You're also my aunt, right? We, of course, are more closed to each other than Prof. Chiyo and I."

"I can feel there's a tail waving."

On the other side of the phone was someone calling Tsunade.

"I'll have to go," Tsunade signalled to end the call and specially told her. "Drive carefully. Don't need to rush."

"Thank you, my beloved professor," Sakura didn't forget to prove her love.

After she escaped from the traffic jam in relief, Sakura drove straight to the hospital, and unexpectedly, she got involved in a minor accident. The car in front suddenly stopped, while she was in a rush, resulting in that she hit the rear of it. It was a red Porsche 911. Sakura felt she was extremely unlucky today. Both of them swiftly moved their vehicles to the side of the road.

Sakura quickly got out of the car, furiously looking at the owner of that car; he appeared as furious as her. When she hadn't spoken anything yet, that driver used a sarcastic tone to talk to her.

"A little girl like you should learn how to drive a car properly."

This remark just made her angrier.

"I think that comment suits you more," she replied in a huff. "You suddenly braked your car, and you blamed me?!"

"You drove over the speed limit," he accused her, "don't you dare say you didn't?!"

"But if you hadn't braked suddenly, nothing would have happened!" Sakura sharply said. "I'm in a rush, okay? I'm wrong, okay? But you are talking like you didn't do anything wrong."

While the man was about to argue, he seemed to remember something. He took out a piece of paper, handing it to her.

"My information," he said, "I'll pay for the damage, okay? Damn it! I'm late for my conference!"

Sakura was reminded as well.

"My goodness! My meeting!!!"

So they got back to their car without further argument.

When Sakura finally got to the hospital, she rushed to the administration building, talking the elevator to the highest floor to the conference room. Everybody was there, chatting and enjoying some snacks. Just a quick glance, she could recognise many of them whom she met before in some health colloquiums. Mostly not only were they doctors but also researchers, so the topics, the information, and thoughts to share were relatively abundant. And the meeting planner was so flexible, to be honest.

"I'm sorry."

"Hahaha," Chiyo laughed. "Come here, Sakura! Don't worry. Nothing… He hasn't arrived yet. It is just a friendly meeting, anyway."

Well, it wasn't. He was a well-known toxicologist that had won several awards; many researchers and doctors in the field wished to talk with him, but that man rejected all.

A weird person, she thought.

No one knew his appearance. To put it more precisely, they couldn't find his photo on the Internet. Although he had won numerous awards, he never came to any award events but asked his grandma to receive them on his behalf. That was the reason why this conference was outstanding. When the news of this conference somehow spread out, many people wrote emails to ask for joining, so they had to discuss whether to change the arrangement a bit as initially only guests with invitations were allowed. Even in this meeting, taking photos and recording was strictly prohibited according to his request.

Sakura first met Chiyo in Chiyo's laboratory when she travelled with Tsunade. She was an old woman who loved feigning death and had a very distinguishable laugh. At that time, she gave Sakura the poison made by her grandson for her to try applying what she was taught (Chiyo had the purpose of challenging Sakura here). Somehow Sakura's ability appealed Chiyo. Birds of a feather flock together. Smart people would play with smart people in the same field, not because they looked down on others, but because they enjoyed the topics they could share and debate, which required knowledge of certain aspects. Chiyo spent her life with herbs and animals to extract poisons and make antidotes, and as she had expected, her grandson even reached another peak in this field. Although Sakura didn't choose to pursue this career, she had an admirable quality in acquiring knowledge and skills. Well, it was 200% of the brain used in the field as Sasuke remarked.

She walked to Chiyo, bowed her head slightly, smiling.

"I really miss you!"

"I do," Chiyo laughed. "Old age just came and attacked this body, and sometimes I feel sleepy at day time. Luckily, my grandchild is such a good kid, always accompanying his grandma."

"This is not a show to introduce your grandchild, Chiyo," Tsunade mocked.

"But he's the main guest, and he'll have a talk today," Chiyo argued. "Besides, I only tell the truth. My grandchild is really a good kid. He is well-behaved, hard-working, of course, smart. My grandchild is very gentle to women."

"Your grandchild is 20 years older than Sakura," Tsunade smirked, commented with no mercy. "I remind you. My student got married six months ago."

"Sakura, how could you get married so early without informing a word to this old lady?" Chiyo feigned lamenting.

"I'm sorry," giggled Sakura, knowing Chiyo was acting.

"But why is he so late today?" Chiyo frowned, murmuring to herself.

Coincidentally, the door was open.

"Sasori!" Chiyo exclaimed happily.

"I'm sorry, grandma," the man walked straight to Chiyo first. When you were late and made a whole audience wait for you, you came to say sorry to your grandma only.

Sakura felt this voice was quite familiar…

And she turned her head.

"My grandchild is really a good kid."

This was Chiyo's perspective.

"He is well-behaved."

She wasn't sure about this.

"Hard-working, of course, smart."

This could be right.

"My grandchild is very gentle to women."

No! Absolutely, no!!!

Sasori looked at her, raising his eyebrows.

"Let me introduce you, Sakura," Chiyo held Sasori's hand. "This is Sasori, my grandchild. Sasori," she turned to look at him and pointed at Sakura, "this is the girl I used to tell you before."

Sakura and Sasori: "…"

"Nice to meet you, Sakura," Sasori politely greeted, pretending they hadn't met before.

"Nice to meet you, too," Sakura tried to fake a smile.

"Why are you so late, Sasori?" Chiyo asked.

"I got lost," Sasori shrugged his shoulders. "I should have listened to you instead. It's been a long time since I last was here."

During the time Sasori gave a speech, there was suddenly a ringtone of someone's phone. Everybody got confused. Who could be so careless? But then they noticed it was from the stage. So did Sasori. After a piece of short pleasant music, it started to change to someone singing.

"Art is a bang bang bang. It is like a mango with a bang-bang. I told you, and I keep telling you. Art is an explosion. It helps your brain function. Do you know? Do you know? Explosions are Art, and Art is an explosion. Art is a bang bang bang…forever a bang bang bang."

Sakura, sitting in the first row, could feel Sasori's escalation of fury. He looked for where the music was from; there it was...in his bag. She noticed that Sasori took out something pretty small in the shape of a box, throwing it to the floor, and stamping on it.

The music stopped.

Deadpan, he resumed his talk like nothing had happened.

After the talk ended, Sasori walked towards his grandma and asked her, "Grandma, could you lend me your phone for a while? Mine is running out of battery."

He immediately took the phone handed from Chiyo, annoyingly dialling a number that seemed to be carved in his memory while walking away. Chiyo and Sakura could only hear he roared one word: Deidara!

Sakura left the conference room during the 60-minute-lunch break; she promised to have lunch with Shisui (and secretly enjoyed Shisui's desperate gaze shifting from his bow of porridge to her dish). When she was leaving with her lunch box, Sasori came back from his phone call.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes, I promise to have lunch with a friend."

Sasori indeed didn't want to come back to the conference, for he was afraid that others would come to have a chat with him. He was a lonely self-enjoying toxicologist. Also, he had been curious about Chiyo's story that this woman successfully created an antidote for his poison a long time ago, so he offered to walk with her to have a chat about that. Sakura was very honest to admit that her antidote's effect didn't last long, but at such a young age, this was astonishing.

They stopped by Shisui's room; Sakura bade him goodbye. But when the door opened, Sasori surprisingly looked into the room to check whether his eyes had a problem.

"Shisui?"

"Sasori?!" Shisui was surprised too.

"You two know each other?" Sakura asked in confusion.

Sasori shifted his gaze from Shisui to Sakura and from Sakura to Shisui.

"Who are you?" Sasori frowned. "Uchihas are not that friendly…"

"She is an Uchiha!" Shisui exclaimed playfully.

"Huh?" Sasori asked doubtfully, looking at the name tag of Sakura. It wrote Haruno Sakura.

"She is also a Senju!" Shisui laughed. "And a Haruno!"

Sasori frowned, "I heard Sasuke married a Senju, and Tobirama found his long lost daughter…"

Sakura smiled.

"So why is the name tag like this?"

"Haha," Sakura laughed, reminding him. "Nobody knows your appearance, Sasori!"

"Everybody consented that her identity should be limited to the clans only," Shisui explained. "Of course, people in our relationship network may know it more or less, like the news Tobirama found his daughter who got married to an Uchiha. You know it, Sasori, the Uchihas and the Senjus lived very private lives. People outside don't know much about what Sasuke's wife looks like."

"Ah," Sasori nodded then shifted his focus to Shisui, smirking. "And why did you end up here, Shisui?"

"I feel everyone visits me just for finding some funs they lack in life," Shisui lamented. "My admittance to the hospital is like a joke!"

"Hahaha," Sakura laughed. Shisui definitely could start to write a book called "I and My Hospital's Love Story". Many comrades arranged to visit him, yet Shisui was only allowed to meet his visitors in certain hours with a limited number of people. Sakura unwillingly became the one who organised this, and she noticed all of them just laughed at Shisui's being jailed here.

"To talk about you, Sasori," Shisui asked, "why are you here?"

"Not the same reason as yours," Sasori ridiculed.

"I wanna swear a lot these days," Shisui huffed. "I'm supposed to have more rest, not more stress!"

"He's a toxicologist," Sakura explained after feeling she had laughed enough, "invited here to give a talk about toxicity study on traditional herbs."

"Oh," Shisui showed he got it, playfully adding, "do you know he has another job, Sakura?"

"Huh?"

Sasori glared at Shisui.

"Besides being a toxicologist, I also have a job in an organisation."

"Really? Which organisation?"

"It's..." Sasori trailed off.

"Huh?"

"That's just a part-time job in a very very small organisation," Sasori retold with a sombre expression on his face, "mostly exploiting its workers and paying them a very very small wage."

Shisui choked. Sakura immediately gave him a glass of water.

"You're having porridge, Shisui! How can you choke?"

"He might feel pity for me," Sasori commented with his eyes implying something only Shisui understood. "Right, Shisui?"

"Ye..a…h," Shisui laughed it off.

"So why don't you leave that organisation?" Sakura asked, expressing her sympathy.

"When I was a teenager, I was tricked into signing a lifetime commitment," Sasori sighed. "That organisation is very dysfunctional. My big boss never does anything except for wandering around. My other boss always talks about nonsense things like gods and angels. My colleagues hate each other but are put on the same team. That organisation even doesn't care what time it is. When they need you, they call you. It exploits my labour! Working without rest and little money with some co-workers who keep insulting your philosophy is depressing. Luckily, I have my salary as a toxicologist!"

"You should sue them!" Sakura angrily said.

"I can't!" Sasori exclaimed in desperation. "I worry about my grandma's safety!!!"

"Shisui!" Sakura turned to him. "You're a member of Special Forces, right? Can you help him?"

"The Special Forces doesn't deal with these cases," Shisui coughed, looking away.

"But you have your friends, right?"

Shisui didn't know what to say.

"I'll call Naruto!!!"

"No no no," Shisui quicky said.

"Why?!"

"Sasori has to sue them first," Shisui found an excuse to throw the ball back to Sasori.

"Sakura," Sasori sadly advised her, "you don't need to."

"But…"

Sakura wanted to continue, but a nurse called her out. 

After she left, Shisui glared at Sasori.

"Don't look at me like that. You threw the ball to me first," Sasori remarked, smirking, "but I've never imagined little Sasuke married such a naive wife!"

Shisui had to smile at that comment.

"Tobirama was quite protective of her," Shisui explained. "She was once kidnapped, you knew it, for someone targeted her to revenge on Tobirama. You know how bitter he was to the world."

"Well, if I were him, I would have done the same. But she seems not to know much about both clans."

"It isn't necessary," Shisui calmly defended for Sakura. "We maintain low profiles, Sasori. People could just think the Uchihas are successful in business while the Senjus dominate the health care system with lots of famous hospitals and laboratories."

"Although my grandma loves to play with the Senjus, my big boss is an Uchiha. He understands my philosophy much more than my grandma. Madara knows we are those labelled as a poison by this world which only wanna throw us away into a wastebasket. We got to know each other because of Madara, right? So I have to give you a piece of advice," Sasori cautiously told Shisui. "Your clan is holding a time bomb."

"Which reason made you say that sentence?"

"Shisui, even until now the 'underworld' still carve in their hearts to call Tobirama Lord Second, but upper-class people now just think Tobirama withdrew from authority. They might think he is just a little bunny now. Time makes people forget a lot of things. It washed away too many names. If only everyone could remember the result of the one who kidnapped his daughter a bit longer. People kept spreading a rumour that he was a cold man, but they forgot one thing: When a cold man loves, it costs the whole world to bear the result. Such a naive woman is likely to be tricked."

"Around her are her closed friends and the Uchihas with the Senjus. I don't think that will happen. We value love deeply, Sasori. She is loved in our clan. She is a kind woman."

"Well," Sasori nonchalantly explained, "I just remind you. I admit I'm interested in her ability and will be happy to be her friend. But getting a time bomb is not my leisure activity. Tobirama won't care much when dealing with potential threats to what he craves to protect. People say he acts more like an Uchiha, but you, as an Uchiha, know it better than me. He doesn't."

Shisui nodded, "I don't understand why people keep spreading rumours like such. Tobirama can use extreme ways to protect what he loves while the Uchihas use extreme ways to tear the love away when being hurt. Just like clothes with holes, Tobirama would try to sew it as many times as he could; we just threw it away along with ourselves."

"Where did you get the clothes metaphor from, Shisui?" Sasori raised his eyebrows. "You are talking like a philosopher."

"You guess from whom?" Shisui grinned.

"Itachi," a definite answer, not a guess from Sasori.

"When Itachi was in the university, he skipped some business classes to attend philosophy classes," Shisui smiled when mentioning his foolish little cousin.

"His business knowledge could be gained much more from the clan," Sasori professionally noted, "he is the heir, anyway. But exploiting four years in the university to enjoy his philosophy classes, he must be the first one to do it. Sasuke finished his study in three years and came back right away. These two brothers seem so different."

"Well, Sasuke lived far from home, Sasori. It took time for a little child to value his family. Even love requires learning."

Next Sunday, Shisui was in a good mood; he was eagerly looking forward to officially saying goodbye to the hospital. He was informed that he could leave the hospital to rest at home next Thursday but have to come back to the hospital for a regular check. Although he had told Itachi not to visit him, Itachi came to see him every Sunday, but Itachi excused himself quite early tonight, making Shisui - an elite member of the Special Forces feel there was something not right.

"Itachi," Shisui suspiciously looked at his friend, joking, "don't tell me you have a secret little lover…"

"I have my wife."

"Huh?" Shisui sensed some bad news. "What do you mean?"

"Meanings are transparent."

Shisui gaped at Itachi, showing his confusion at the maximum level.

"Excuse me?!"

"Nothing," Itachi thought for a while and then corrected his words as his best friend deserved to know something at least, "I just give a try with her."

Shisui felt his shisui.exe had stopped working.

"What do you mean by 'try'?"

"Meanings are…" Itachi hadn't finished his sentence.

Shisui shouted, "Don't tell me anything transparent."

"Shisui…"

"You…with that actress?!"

"Shisui," Itachi sighed. "We're husband and wife."

"Itachi," Shisui took a deep breath to find back his thoughts, "you two live in separation for a while, but now you're telling me you wanna come back with her? Don't tell me you suddenly realise you love that actress from the previous life! You…"

Shisui was stuck by his own words.

"She told me she hoped we could begin again," Itachi retold his story. "I thought cooperation here was not bad. We can try to see if it works. After marriage, I used to try at least to be a good friend, but she didn't mind. Now she approached me. Although she is not 100% honest in her intention, I think it's worth a try. She might feel unsure about her idea. I lose nothing, Shisui."

"But what about your feelings?" Shisui raised his voice, reiterating his question. "What about your feelings, Itachi?"

"I'm fine," Itachi said. "If nothing happens, we'll live with together until we die, Shisui. So why don't we make it less suffering when she prompted the first step? I can try sewing clothes."

"Itachi," Shisui took another deep breath, "you wanna change to metaphor, right? You burnt your beloved clothes, never once considering sewing it, and you tell me you wanna sew the clothes you don't love?"

"Mistake shouldn't be repeated twice, Shisui."

"Keep that sentence for yourself, Itachi."

"What do you want me to do then?"

"You know it."

"It's unfair for her."

"So is it fair for you?"

"I dragged her into it, so I took responsibility for this."

"Itachi!" Shisui shouted. "I beg you! I beseech you! Can you think for yourself once?! Do you know the logic that you can't bring anyone happiness when you're a pond of pain?"

"I'm not…"

"Just shut up for me!"

"Shisui…" Itachi sighed and felt so tired to discuss Yoko with Shisui. Why did an understanding person like Shisui act in this way? Itachi could talk with him any topics, and Shisui always showed he would stay by his side, no matter what. But why could Shisui not do the same on this topic?

"It's my private life. You don't need to interfere that much, Shisui," Itachi tiredly ached to end this topic.

"Now you want to use the clan rule on me, right?!" Shisui gave Itachi a hurt look.

"I don't mean it."

"Itachi, listen!" Shisui puffingly said. "To me, you're just a foolish little cousin, Itachi! Don't act like you're wise here. When a wise man makes a stupid move, it will be more stupid than thousands of normal people's mistakes altogether. A piece of advice from a cousin who is five years older than you and nearly lost his parents in a fire: Overwhelming yourself will lead you nowhere, Itachi. You don't want me to talk about your wife. Okay. I'm talking about you. What's the meaning of marriage to you, Itachi? You work for a whole day, coming back home and still maintaining your composure. You can't cry to her. You can't laugh with her. You can't joke with her. What is the purpose of marriage to you if you're nothing different from when you're at work."

"The clan elders," Shisui continued, "no matter how you made excuses for them, had terribly bad eyesight in this matter! Of course, not to mention, you allowed them to do so. They did have good intention to find someone accompany you when you're exhausted and to support you when you're at work, but what has she done for what her family has received? Okay, okay, I don't talk about her. It makes me look like a picky selfish man."

"Shisui…"

"Just shut up!" Shisui angrily said. "Let me finish."

"You treat your marriage like a business. Cooperation? So have you discussed who will compensate for whom in terms of breaking the contract? Do you go to sleep with your business or leave it in the office? Itachi, at least you have to keep in mind, you have a shelter to refresh yourself, but now you tell me you say goodbye to your shelter, so where will you refresh yourself? You say you lose nothing, so tell me, what will you do next if you find it doesn't work as you thought? You flee back to your shelter, huh? Use your prodigy's brain to tell me how many percentages do you estimate that this contract will be successful? I'm telling you, Itachi. With no business knowledge here, Uchiha Shisui tells you, 0%. If it works, it would have worked a long time ago when your stupid decision just sprouted. If I had known about its existence, I would have plucked it for sure."

"I don't expect to nurture love with her, Shisui," Itachi explained. "What I want is to nurture friendship only. Yes, 0% for love. I already knew it. But a friendship is worth considering. We are doing well now."

Shisui closed his eyes, taking two, three more deep breaths.

"I can't change your decision."

Itachi said nothing.

"Goodluck, Itachi!"


	17. The Vast Sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Uchiha Sasuke along with his wife had a meal with his biological father-in-law today — a way to nourish the bonds between members of a family and to stay connected.

Hashirama's three sons already came back home for a family meal, whereas their father, who was supposed to attend this lunch, was nowhere to be seen. 

"I've called him several times," Mito said. "But nobody picked up the phone."

Tobirama indifferently took out his phone and called Damn Uchiha 2.

"Tobirama?"

"Where is my brother?" bluntly asked Tobirama.

"He?" Izuna paused for a while, looking outside, precisely concisely describing what Hashirama was doing, "squatting with Madara beside the koi pond with some whiskey and bread under the shadow of two pear trees."

"Can you call him for me?"

"Just a second," the sound of Izuna's walking and sliding the door transmitted to the phone. Izuna seemed to talk something with Hashirama before handing him the phone.

"Tobi!!!" Hashirama excitedly yelled; Tobirama responsively held the phone away from his ear.

"Switch on the speaker, Tobi," Mito calmly said. "It's good for your ears."

Tobirama put the phone on the table, following what Mito had said.

"Why did you call me, Tobi?" Hashirama still energetically innocently asked.

Tobirama glanced at Mito, who showed no intention of speaking, so he reluctantly carried on the conversation.

"Do you remember what day today is?"

"Today? Today is Saturday!" Hashirama happily exclaimed. "Finally I can have some rest. Tobi!!! Madara caught fish so much worse than me!!!"

Tobirama glanced at Mito again. Mito suddenly turned to talk with Sakura.

"Where were we, Nashi?"

Sakura looked confused. Did we talk about something?! She kept silently eating her sweets bought by her father since she came here. She hadn't chatted anything with her aunt; what was Mito talking about? Confused, she noticed Hashirama became silent.

"I told you, Nashi. Women should go to work. Do you know why?"

"Erh…," Sakura didn't know what Mito was planning, involuntarily cooperating, "to support themselves."

"No, you're wrong, Nashi," Mito sighed, glancing at the phone, mildly raising her voice, deliberately articulating her words. "It has only one purpose: Use that money to burn your man when you lose patience with him."

On the other side of the phone was the sound of broken glass followed by a long silence.

Tobirama, Tsunade, Sakura, Sasuke, Hashirama's three sons: "…"

"Haha," Hashirama laughed it off. "Darling…"

But then, Madara's shout penetrated the whole universe to the phone, "Hashirama! The fish!!!"

"Play with it yourself! I'll deal with you later!!!" 

Hashirama tried hard to remember what day today was. Focus, focus, focus, Hashirama, you can retrieve it. But nothing came into his brain. Well, not necessary, just drive back home first, he thought.

"You just need to stay there," Mito mildly advised. "Don't need to come back home."

This was a threatening message! Hashirama cried inwardly.

"No no no," Hashirama quickly said. "I'm driving back home now."

After the meal, they talked about some plans and daily stuff with some jokes before withdrawing to their own rooms for a short nap. Only Hashirama and Tobirama stayed in the living room to have tea.

Hashirama felt worried for Tobirama for years. When his brother was young, he didn't hang around with anyone. Some people said his brother's mannerism was like an Uchiha, and somehow he felt this idea interesting although he knew it wasn't. Hashirama always thanked gods for giving him a messy personality, for Tobirama would accompany him to prevent troubles. Their father, like other fathers in that era, was conservative and strict. Hashirama was scolded so many times that he couldn't count the exact number. Growing up a bit, his brother just became a lonely wolf. Being an adult, he met Sora. Marrying her, his brother looked a bit softer. Without Sora, Hashirama thought, Tobirama would have ended up being a man focusing on manipulating people and creating even more scary things.

At the age of a teenager, his brother hacked a highly secure website to take some information about dirty transactions of a family. An imperious and arrogant classmate kept intentionally causing troubles for Hashirama like dropping his cup of water on Hashirama's textbooks or pretending to clash his shoulder. Hashirama thought maybe because he looked like quite a stupor in class. Madara was in another class while Tobirama was in another grade. He tried to ignore this classmate, not telling Tobirama or Madara about this little trouble, hoping that the classmate would be bored of his idea, but it just kept going on. Later, somehow Tobirama got the news by hearsay and waited for that classmate at the front gate, asking him to stop. Yet, he talked to Tobirama with a taunting challenging voice, for his parents worked in the government. They certainly could solve it under the name of Senju by asking their father to talk with that classmate's parents; yet, they weren't allowed to know much about their clans as well as stuff like power and authority at such young ages. Most importantly, their father wouldn't interfere in their school lives. His brother was good at using people, sensing who could share the same view as his and who had the possibility of going against him, then scheming a whole plan carefully. 

His benevolent younger brother started to have 'friends', just walking on the path that Hashirama hadn't ever imagined. What Tobirama had done was neither legal nor illegal; it was hard to say. He did protect something, standing for the good, but at the same time, contributing to the collapse of many families. He somewhat went too far. Adversity leads to prosperity; that was what Hashirama always worried about. Since Tobirama met Sora, at least his brother learnt a bit about stepping back if necessary. Strangers would only care who was more robust and more powerful, but only those who loved you concerned about whether you were tired or happy. Sora could make Tobirama happy; Hashirama could feel that, and he was always thankful for her existence.

But Sora was just another inception of a tragedy. She got married to Tobirama and got pregnant with his child. The baby was born, and they started a little family. Two years…only two years…and everything ended; Tobirama became much worse. The most unexpected gift worth thankful for a thousand times was that Nashi was alive.

Hashirama's topics to discuss with Tobirama were not too many indeed. Except for work, mostly he rambled about Madara and sometimes Nashi. To talk about Madara, Hashirama ached to go back to the Uchiha manor to catch fish with his best friend; he sighed inwardly. He also felt grateful for Madara's existence. Sometimes he thought the relationship between him and Madara was what friendship truly was: Being serious at work but going crazy with friends.

While having tea, he mentioned stuff Madara told him, "Madara really loves the idea of Nashi’s becoming the mother of three children like his mother. It's like a boy first, and then twins like Izuna and Mikoto. Gradually, he seemed more and more obsessed with that idea."

"My daughter is not a baby-maker for the Uchihas," Tobirama coldly replied. 

"Well," Hashirama thoughtfully said, "you don't need to be so sensitive about this, Tobi. He just loves to talk about this recently. Madara loves Mikoto and Izuna, so that idea is just reminiscent of his childhood. I know that people are sensitive to this topic these days, for they perceive it as an affront upon women following the idea that bearing a child is the only thing women can do. But you know better than anyone, Tobi. It is sacred. But this society treats it too lightly and casually, insulting such a sacred gift. Madara is a kind-hearted man, Tobi. He understands the weight of a child himself very clearly."

Tobirama said nothing. 

"But," Hashirama continued after analysing something, "to talk about this, it's weird he didn't mention Itachi. Is he supposed to target his obsession to Itachi's wife?"

"It's nothing to surprise."

"He's the heir."

"My Nashi looks much adorable."

"Since when did you start to use such stupid logic, Tobi?"

"So you mean Nashi isn't adorable?"

"…"

He had stepped in dangerous territory, quickly taking a sip of silence. 

Sasuke and Sakura would sleep here for one night. In fact, all of them started to shift the topics into serious matters in the end. Tsunade, Mito, and Sakura enjoyed talking about recent cases; Hashirama spoke with his three sons about their jobs and gave some advice since children growing up didn't have much time to come back home. Tobirama talked with Sasuke in his study. It was no doubt that they didn't have anything to talk with each other. Sakura was a shared topic between them, but she was happy now, so what could Tobirama ask for? Fortunately, they found out they both had an interest in chess, which became their conversation content every time they met. 

The chess match between Sasuke and Tobirama was really interestingly competitive. Tobirama used to be the winner of an international chess tournament, and he felt bored. The world seemed dull when playing chess with people who he knew he would unquestionably win. Despite Tobirama’s ugly impression on Sasuke, however, he admitted Sasuke was a player worth his time. When Tobirama moved his white chess piece, he broke the silence between them.

"I heard that Madara bothered you about something," he didn't say it directly.

Sasuke still looked at the chessboard, moving his black chess piece.

"We're young."

"What about Nashi?"

"She loves children, but we agree that it's still early."

"How many?"

"We haven't talked about it yet."

Tobirama finished his talk shortly. Silence resumed. They silently played chess, knowing that the match would be left unfinished as per usual.

Sakura used to be an orphan, which made her quite sensitive about children. All the hurt she witnessed pushed her into some kind of a person yearning for protecting kids. She always wished to open a psychiatric hospital exclusively for children, especially those suffering from parent lost or domestic abuse, but presently she couldn't do it. Her father commented that her ideas of organising and running that hospital were quite ideal and unrealistic. She had to learn more, unstoppably kept moving forwards. 

She was remarkably against irresponsible parents; she had the belief that the child didn't ask to be born. Letting it go to this world, the couples must take responsibility. She even got allergic to the argument like 'I give your life, and you have to be thankful for that'. Sakura always had a weak spot for children, and maybe she could be strong also because of that.

When everyone fell into sleep, Tobirama still stayed awake. Opening the drawer, he took out one photo album - a collection of only a few wedding and family photos with Sora. The first photograph was a pre-wedding photo in black and white concept, solemnly standing next to each other. The traditional photo style required no smile revealing teeth, but it couldn't stop her eyes from happily shining.

Tobirama caressed his deceased wife's face in the photo, reliving the first time they met and many days after.

At that time, Hashirama's life was to wander around with Mito, Madara and work; he and Izuna already became best friends. They usually waited for each other after school for a basketball match. On a day of autumn, Sora approached him.

"I have no interest in a romantic relationship," cool kid Tobirama replied without asking the young lady's purpose.

"How do you know I wanna court you?"

"…"

Is he not scary enough? Tobirama thought. He used to have many girls who liked him, but they were intimidated when he got older because of his cold demeanour.

But this lady was so patient. She always stood in front of the school gate to wait for him and walk him home (what logics?!). From his experience, others would choose to hide and watch him from afar; or they would give him love letters or chocolates directly. But this one was absolutely different. She didn't give him anything. On the way of walking, she talked about lots of nonsense things, mostly her hometown stories. Tobirama's responses were always silence. He noticed she would never walk with him when he was with Izuna and any other friends, but asking your friends to protect you from a lady was so losing face that Tobirama instead chose being tortured by her unstoppable speech.

She was a transfer student from another university, a year younger than him. This was the only information he heard from his 'friends'. When Tobirama felt he needed to end this stupid walk (he tolerated it for 6 months already), he told his 'friends' to pretend to do something to make her scared of him.

He had never thought his 'friends' were such stupid men! The information processed from the left ear to the right ear among them like this:

From:

"Just pretend to do something that makes her scared of me."

To member A who informed others:

"Do something to scare her away."

To member B during the discussion:

"Scare her away!"

To member C during the discussion:

"As long as it's effective in scaring her away, do it."

To final version modified by member Z:

"Do the most effective way to scare her away."

They did it successfully. Tobirama's world resumed back to his supposed-to-be daily life, and he started to feel…unaccustomed and a bit too...silent.

Only when he tried looking for her to…analyse his problem, he found out she already moved back to her old school in another city. Tobirama took a train to her school, and ironically the role now changed. Now he was the one standing in front of the gate to look for her. When she saw him, Sora's reaction was totally out of his imagination: She lowered her head and ran away. 

This was way too effective!!!

He had to call his stupid 'friends' to interrogate them what they had done. Those silly men innocently told him that Sora's parents died a long time ago, and she now lived with her grandma. They just came to meet the grandma and politely told her who Tobirama was with a bit honest exaggeration, framing Sora as a girl after money. The grandma never had a chance to go to school due to her parents' opinion that she would someday be someone's wife. The grandma had a small dango shop in an old narrow street, and she did work her best to raise Sora to the university, which was not an easy task at that time. She knew the only way to escape the unstable floating life for Sora was education. There was nothing like subsidies or supporting money for such families at that time. The grandma was a sincere practical woman, and they made her think that Sora didn't focus on the study, delusionally chasing a rich boy to change her life.

"Don't I need to compliment on your plan?! The grandma has suffered enough!"

"But you say as long as it's effective…"

"When did I say that?!"

Thanks to his stupid 'friends', the grandma was the only person devotedly fighting against their relationship. Tobirama had never imagined he would climb the wall to meet Sora. She didn't ramble here and there anymore while he didn't know what to say. They just silently awkwardly consumed black tea surrounded by the sound of night ambience in the countryside.

Tobirama smiled when recalling those memories. He was afraid of losing face, yet all he did after that six months were embarrassing.

"Sora shouldn't have bothered you," the grandma earnestly said. "But I hope you forgive her for her delusional action."

"No," Tobirama felt dealing with this grandma was too tiring, "I don't mean it. I'm the one to say sorry."

"I don't think Sora will suit your wife," the grandma forthrightly said. "My grandchild hasn't had much experience in life, leading to this shameful circumstance. If you politely talk with me like that, let me tell you my true thought. You're a good boy, but hardly will you and Sora have a good ending. Your living style is different than ours; how can she adjust herself to that? You can argue it's easy, but my experience tells me not. Marriage doesn't end because of a big obstacle; it usually ends just because of tiny things. I'm old. I'll die someday, leaving Sora to live on her own. More than anyone, I hope she has a husband to rely on; but that is delusional. Relying on others won't last long. My old eyes witnessed enough sorrow in many women's lives as wives. Have you ever wondered why people are so obsessed with a love story of loyalty? Because real life lacks it, child; promise is only valid at the time of speaking. I know you're a good person, but trust me, child, Sora won't suit your world."

Finally, Tobirama accepted his fate, losing face to ask his parents to talk with the grandma. It was customary for old generations to have a formal talk when their children entered a relationship. Tobirama still remembered his mother's face after listening to what he had explained; it was like 'Tobirama still has a day like today'.

"Are you joking, son?" His mom asked in disbelief. Tobirama never knew he looked that hopeless in marriage.

But his mom seemed able to read his thoughts, continued, "Don't look at me like that. Don't you know that our neighbours' dogs don't dare to pee on the utility pole in front of our house every time they see you at home?"

"…"

The grandma later only allowed Sora to be his wife with one condition: Sora had to have a stable job before getting married. That clever woman lived long enough to know the bitter fate of those relying on others. On her face were wrinkles mercilessly carved by the time; her eyes looked as though she had seen enough colours of this world. He didn't know what exactly happened in her life; neither did Sora. The pain was something private; people kept it for themselves, not easily placing it under the sunlight. If one had time to complain and tell about things like 'I'm suffering from pain and sorrow' and kept talking about it, it was neither truly pain nor deep sorrow. Tobirama didn't dig the grandma's past; he felt he had to respect what she never discussed. The grandma was illiterate; her eyes, however, according to his father, had something that urged people to respect her.

"She is illiterate, but she is a wise woman," his father said something like this after coming back from the talk about him and Sora.

To prove his sincerity, they got engaged when he graduated from the university, while Sora was in her final year. After she found a job as a primary school teacher, they got married.

Tobirama looked at the only photo that had the grandma at his wedding. The centre was him with Sora; next to him was Hashirama; beside Sora was Mito and Tsunade. His parents and the grandma stood at the second row with some of his uncles and aunts. At that time, on important days, everyone gathered to take one or two formal photos. No smile. No joke. But the silent, solemn demeanours were somehow reflexed people the most, creating an atmosphere of unbearable weight of connection and peace.

If only, Tobirama thought, Nashi could see her great-grandma. The grandma died some months after the wedding.

"Tobirama," the grandma said on the day before their wedding, "I don't expect you to guarantee anything. Sora must take responsibility for her own life. But if someday you feel you don't love her anymore, let her leave. I know my words could hurt your self-esteem since I show no trust in your words."

Then the grandma turned to talk with Sora, "I don't care how much money you make compared to your…future husband, Sora, but promise me you will go to work. Love stories gave you the man conquered the world, and the woman conquered the man. They gave you a happy ending that she didn't do anything and became a queen because of being the wife of an emperor. They didn't show the scene they dragged each other to the court for a divorce. Don't depend on others financially. At least when you're arguing with him, you can straightforwardly say your opinion because you can support yourself, not because you expect he will step back because of his love. Don't use any excuses like you can have a job, but you don't want to. Unemployed is unemployed. Love is beautiful, and beautiful things don't usually last long. It requires lots of effort. I know you two might find these words bad omen for your forthcoming wedding, but they are the only things I can advise you both. Be patient with each other. Be independent."

On the third day of their honeymoon, the topic why Sora chose to court him appealed him.

"I couldn’t believe that your family became that rich after moving back to the main city," his wife said, biting a spoon of yoghurt. "When I first saw you, I was so excited that at least I could share and update stuff in our hometown with you."

"My family has lived in the main city for centuries, Sora," Tobirama thought his wife remembered something wrong.

"Huh?" Sora looked at him in confusion. 

Tobirama sensed something very very wrong.

"What are you talking about?"

Sora carefully asked him, "Tobi…you didn't once live for a short term in my hometown?"

"No."

Tobirama felt some bad news was coming. 

"Tobi…" Sora timidly said, "it seems that I courted the wrong person."

"…"

On the third day of your honeymoon, your wife told you she mistook you for someone - a potential man who would have been in your place now. Tobirama didn't know how to respond to this situation. This was new to him. For years he manipulated everything and calculated every step precisely, Tobirama felt this was super-new to him.

"So," he paused for a while, "who is that person?"

"His name is Tobirama, moving to my hometown during the summer vacation, but then leaving for the main city again."

"His family name is Senju?"

"I don't know his family name," she shook her head, sheepishly explained. "I was a primary student at that time, and he told me to call him Tobirama. I didn't ask any further."

"So that's the reason why you kept rambling about your hometown stuff with me."

Sora honestly nodded.

Tobirama still didn't know what to do next. His wife mistook him for someone. She courted the wrong person. Damn it! He ached to find out who he was. But when Tobirama lost in thought, trying to organise his ideas, something poked his cheek. It was Sora's index finger.

"But I am married to the right person," Sora giggled. "Don't tell me you wanna divorce now. Too late!"

"…"

"I recovered from the truth much faster than you, Tobi…" Sora poked his cheek a few more times.

Tobirama chuckled when he recalled that scene and then he sighed. Every time Nashi came back home, he became such a sentimental man. He closed the album, put it back to the drawer, and then walked to the window, looking at the Senju manor's garden under the dim light.

"Sora," raising his head, he looked at the clear dark sky tonight with some shiny stars, "Tobirama is ageing, Sora. Tobirama is an old man now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Initially, this chapter was planned for something else, but author-san wrote it while listening to very sad music. And it turned out like this.


	18. Once Upon A Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction. This chapter is dedicated to all of you as a Christmas gift. There’s nothing important or serious in this chapter. Have fun!

1.

Once upon a time, there were two dogs.

These two dogs were bought by Haruno Sakura right after she returned from her reckless flight to find Uchiha Sasuke. At that time, she already moved to live in the Senju manor to nurture the bonds with her long-lost family. Sakura, who assumed that she should have something to comfort her of the new environment, decided to buy dogs. Dogs were good accompanying friends, reminding her of old little father. When she got married to Sasuke, she moved to live in the Uchiha manor for some months. Her two dogs at that time had moved to the Uchiha manor. Later, she and Sasuke had their new house, but they were too busy, which was why leaving the two dogs there would be a much better choice.

There was a tragic story about these two dogs. Along with her biological father, who tried to spare as much time as possible to nourish the bond between them, she went to the Inu Farm to buy a dog. That was a famous farm with the credibility of following strict breeding control rules and meticulous care for dogs in the city and providing the dog training programmes and vet services. Not knowing why, she had a peculiar idea on the way to the farm: She would buy two dogs — a Golden Retriever and a Shiba.

She video called Naruto, asking him which Golden Retriever he thought she should choose, and Naruto immediately chose the coolest looking one.

"Sakura," Naruto laughed, "the dog represents me, right?"

"Naruto! What did you eat recently?" Sakura exclaimed surprisingly.

"What do you mean?"

"You sound more intelligent!"

"…"

"Okay, I'll take this one," Sakura talked to the staff, pointing at the one Naruto had chosen.

"Sakura," Naruto seriously called her name.

"Huh?"

"It means there will be another dog which represents Sasuke, right?" Naruto cautiously asked.

"Uh."

"What type of dog are you going to choose?"

"A Shiba," Sakura happily explained, "famous for its intelligence."

"Sakura," Naruto lowered his voice, "I think you shouldn't choose a Shiba."

"Why?"

"It's…," Naruto tried to find a reason. Damn it! He didn't like the idea that the dog representing Sasuke bullied the dog representing him in terms of IQ, "too small."

"Huh?!"

"An adult Golden Retriever is bigger than an adult Shiba," Naruto explained. "It will look weird."

"Hm…," Sakura thought for a while, "so what kind of dog do you recommend?"

"Ah…um…," Naruto tried to find an answer. Quick, Naruto, or Sakura would choose herself, "a Siberian Husky."

"A Siberian Husky?"

"Yes, a Siberian Husky," Naruto determinedly said. According to his friends, huskies were famous for not only cool looking but also usually doing stupid stuff. Evilly laughing inside, he continued, "you see, Sakura, a Siberian Husky definitely looked much cooler."

"Hm…"

"It has black and white fur," Naruto continued with his logical persuasive argument that he had never thought he could talk that devotedly again in his life. "See? I'm blond, and Sasuke's hair is black. The Shiba 100% doesn't match Sasuke's appearance."

"Uh-huh…," Sakura walked to the cage of huskies, "let me see."

"Do you see that they look as cool as Sasuke!"

"Yeah…"

"So…," Naruto, who even never felt worried when taking an exam or felt sad because of a zero, was nervously waiting for her decision, "will you choose it?" 

"Okay then," Sakura decided, "I'll end the call. I'll have to ask Sasuke which one he will choose."

"Okay, okay!!!" Naruto happily exclaimed. Yahoo!!! Goodluck, Sasuke!!!

Sasuke agreed to keep in touch with them after Sakura's reckless fight, but he did emphasise that he needed a break. Therefore, Sakura and Naruto didn't contact him so frequently. And even they did, mostly it was in the form of messages or emails. This was the first time Sakura video called him, and maybe the last.

"Sakura?"

"Sasuke! Can you help me to choose a dog?"

"A dog?"

"Uh, uh," Sakura excitedly told him, "Naruto already chose one. Can you choose another one for me?"

She turned the camera to the huskies.

"Why must it be a Siberian Husky?" Sasuke fishily asked.

"Huh?" Sakura giggled, innocently telling everything to Sasuke. "Originally I wanted a Shiba, but Naruto advised me a Siberian Husky suited you more."

"…"

"So which one will you choose?"

"The one in the left corner," Sasuke calmly said after observing them.

That dog was sleeping, not caring all the dogs around him.

"Decided!" Sakura said goodbye to Sasuke, pointed to the little husky in the left corner, telling the staff she would buy it.

"Miss," the staff smiled, "you have such good eyes. It's a wolfdog."

"Wolfdog?"

"Yes, Miss. It's a Siberian Husky crossed with a wolf. Just 10% wolf, but you have to be careful when raising it," the staff at least was trained well enough to see Sakura's family could raise this kind of dog, "for example, it requires an acre of land for roaming. You need to feed it raw meat. No pork is allowed."

"What else should I care for?"

"It's a wolfdog, Miss. This means it has a wild personality, a strong sense of territory and possession, and a sense of yearning for being an alpha in the pack. Don't expect it to be like a domestic dog. When the wolfdog reaches the age of two, it will start to challenge the status quo."

"What do you mean by 'challenge the status quo'?"

"Like I said," the staff patiently explained, "it yearns for being the leader of the pack. When it is still a puppy, it doesn't have much power to challenge its leader, but it will do that at the age of two, the age of maturity."

"You mean," Sakura pointed to the Golden Retriever, "it will challenge this one?"

"No, Miss," the staff shook his head, "this one is not even his target. It enjoys companionship, so this Golden Retriever will suit that position. But it doesn't consider this one as its leader. You raise him, so you are. Your dog will challenge you, Miss. If you show that you're tired, not dominant enough, any signs that make it consider it'll be the better leader, it'll challenge you."

"What should I do then?"

"Don't back down. Once you lose your leadership position, seldom can you gain it back. You'll have all information in detail here," the staff handed her a paper, "and you can call us anytime you want. We also provide training service."

So the story was like this:

Sakura happily brought two baby dogs chosen by her best friends back to the Senju manor. She named the Golden Retriever Toru, and the wolfdog Kesu. Toru and Kesu didn't look at each other in the first days, and later the Toru started to yearn for playing. Unfortunately, the Senju manor had no other dogs except for Kesu. Toru did everything in his ability to catch Kesu's attention, but Kesu ignored. Some day Sakura saw Toru biting and pulling the pillow on which Kesu was sleeping to attract his attention, but Kesu, as always, didn’t care. Toru would eagerly run to fetch the ball when playing fetch, whereas Kesu looked at her like 'you throw it, so you fetch it yourself'. Kesu enjoyed walking and running around the manor…alone. Did the staff tell her he enjoyed companionship?! 

Sakura got worried. Kesu was supposed to be energetic, but he didn't give a damn about his surroundings. Did her dog have some mental illnesses? Was he stressed? She had to take him to the veterinary clinic to see whether her Kesu had any problem. But the vet assured her that her Kesu was physically and mentally healthy. 

Kesu hadn't reached the age of two yet, but the maids in the Senju manor had to witness a painfully dysfunctional scene below every day:

Kesu enjoyed running and kept running; Sakura chased after him, panting and puffing, calling him to slow down, while Toru ran after Sakura. The overall picture was Kesu followed by Sakura, and Sakura followed by Toru, and Toru, of course, following Kesu at the same time. Gradually, as somehow related (dog gene), Toru focused on running after Kesu and usually ran back to check Sakura, and as per usual, Kesu enjoyed running himself. A scene that made the maids in the Senju manor questioned who the leader was.

Sakura even had to hug Toru to lament for the pain Kesu brought to her. Her Kesu hurt her so much. Her Toru was much cuter and more understanding!

But our Sakura studied Medicine, and sometimes she didn't have time to feed her dogs, but she also didn't want to bother the maids. Her biological father — Tobirama, the cool kid who showed his unconditional love to his daughter, agreed to help her feed her dogs and take them for a walk when she studied for her exams. Every time he prepared food for the dogs, Toru immediately jumped to finish his food; Kesu was like 'Just leave it there. I'll eat whenever I like'. The more Tobirama took care of these two dogs, the more he hated Sasuke and liked Naruto.

When Kesu reached the age of two, Sakura was an eighteen-year-old lady, burying herself in the hospital and books. Kesu enjoyed the life with his companion, Toru, and silently ambushed for a challenge. His supposed-to-be leader usually went home exhausted after long hours of hospital shift. Well, the result was inevitably predictable.

When Sakura was nineteen years old, Sasuke came back. She complained to Sasuke that the dog he chose gave her so many troubles. 

"He doesn't listen to me anymore."

"Huh?"

"The dog you chose for me doesn't listen to me!" Sakura showed her self-pity to Sasuke with a tearful voice. "He hurts my feelings!!!"

Therefore, Uchiha Sasuke took responsibility for his suggestion, going to the Senju manor to have a look at Kesu. At that time, Kesu was wandering around the garden, and Toru was chasing after him.

"Let me bring it to the Uchiha manor for a while."

"Huh?" Sakura was confused. "But Toru will be sad."

"Then bring both of them to the Uchiha manor."

"But for what?"

"Just give me time."

Well, Kesu was three years old at that time, and a man out of nowhere appeared to challenge him. Uchiha Sasuke never backed down to Kesu, which Kesu unexpectedly enjoyed and granted Sasuke the title as the new leader of the pack.

Thanks to Sasuke, Kesu now accepted to welcome Sakura home, allowing Sakura — his used-to-be leader to cuddle him like when he was a puppy. Kesu thought cuddling was embarrassing as a leader! But now he abdicated that position, and more importantly, his used-to-be leader of the pack became his present leader's wife, so he had to be a good boy.

To talk about Naruto, it was indescribably painful for him to see Toru running after Kesu. Why?! How can?!

"How can this happen?" Naruto lamented. "Even the dogs we chose, the result doesn't change!!! This dog doesn't represent me! It acts like our old classmates. So many of them were so obsessed with Sasuke. From their mouths were always Sasuke, Sasuke, and Sasuke."

"Naruto," Sakura really wanted to grieve with him because of Kesu, but she remembered something important to remind Naruto, "in your sentence, there were 4 words 'Sasuke'."

"Huh?" Naruto looked puzzled. "What do you mean, Sakura?"

"Others just talked about Sasuke with only one word Sasuke in their sentence. You…four in a row."

"You mean…," Naruto's face became pale as if someone had reminded him of a terrifying fact. He painfully bemoaned, "I'm obsessed with Sasuke four times as much as them?!"

Sakura nodded, regretting to inform this painful truth to Naruto.

"Sakura," Naruto hugged her, lamenting. "Our fates are so unfortunate."

"Naruto!!!" Sakura hugged back.

Toru still enjoyed running after Kesu in the Uchiha manor's garden. Sasuke calmly took a sip of tea. Naruto and Sakura shared their indescribable pain by hugging each other. It was an afternoon with the summer breeze.

2.

Now we had two dogs welcoming Mikoto back home. Kesu knew Mikoto was his leader's mom, so he had to show his respect.

Uchiha Mikoto came back to the Uchiha manor on Sunday morning alone; Fugaku was on his business trip and hadn't come back yet. When she entered the main manor's living room, she saw Izuna sitting on the sofa watching TV.

"Where is our big brother?"

"He hasn't woken up yet," Izuna nonchalantly updated information for his twin sister. 

Right after Izuna finished his sentence, Madara appeared.

"Mikoto!" Madara excitedly called her. "You're back finally."

"Big brother," Mikoto said, "you should comb your hair."

"No," Madara dismissed it immediately. "Every time I look at myself in the mirror, the goldern light hurts my eyes. Do you know how much it hurts me to stay close to Izuna? But he's my younger brother, so I can tolerate it."

Izuna turned his head, about to argue the golden light theory, but he saw Mikoto wink at him. He sighed, taking a sip of water to swallow what he intended to say.

"So let your younger sister comb your hair, okay?" Mikoto mildly told him.

Madara never rejected what his brother and sister asked to do for him. He nodded.

"I'm waiting for Hashirama," Madara told them while Mikoto was combing his hair, holding his phone to text to Hashirama.

"Did you play with him yesterday?" Izuna asked.

"But we didn't finish the game," Madara explained. "I have to come back to the Akatsuki tomorrow; Pein won't let me go easily. I have to exploit my time to play with Hashirama as much as possible."

"Mikoto," Madara suddenly asked. "Do you miss mom?"

"Huh?" Mikoto smiled. "Big brother, why did you ask that question?"

"You're combing my hair."

"Then?"

"It makes me miss our mom," Madara explained. "She combed my hair when you two hadn't been born yet. But I told her not to do it after I was six years old."

"Why?"

"I became a big brother," Madara explained. "You two were born, so I had to show mom that I grew up already. I could take care of you two."

"You have done very very well," Mikoto smiled. "Such a big sacrifice! So I'll compensate for you."

"Huh?"

"I'll comb your hair until you're old. What do you think?"

"But you're busy. I'm busy."

"Hm…," Mikoto thought for a while, chuckled. "But I'll have time more when Itachi becomes the clan head. At that time, I'll come back home every day to comb your hair every morning, okay?"

"Okay," Madara nodded. 

"Don't move your head!"

"I knew it long ago!" Madara rambled. "You two definitely won't leave me alone."

"Of course," Mikoto laughed. "Even this world turns its back to you, your younger brother and sister always stand by your side."

"You two," Izuna smirked, "sound so sentimental today."

"So what?" Mikoto raised her eyebrows. "Jealous?"

"Tch," Izuna talked with a challenging voice. "How can Izuna get jealous?"

"You don't need to be jealous, Izuna," Madara said, still looking at the phone waiting for Hashirama's reply. "Mikoto'll comb my hair, and I'll comb your hair."

"Hey, you two," Mikoto put the comb on the table, "so who will comb my hair?"

"You have your Fugaku!" Izuna raised his voice.

"If Fugaku refuses to do that," Madara earnestly advised. "Just tell me. I'll kick him."

Mikoto's and Izuna's countenances softened. 

When they were born, their mom was busy helping their father, Madara babysat them little by little. To be honest, Madara was an archetype of a good brother who had very naughty siblings. He founded the Akatsuki a while after he left home, but he cautioned them one thing: In case of Uchiha business, stay away from it. But Pein the leader thought his big boss looked down on his ability (at that time he didn't know Madara was an Uchiha), so he insisted on attacking the Uchiha business without informing his big boss. After a year, anger burnt out; homesick struck him; Madara decided to return home. A week later, Madara's father found out his son's organisation was the origin of every trouble recently, he furiously dragged the sweeper and chased after Madara. Innocently, our Madara the legend didn't understand anything, but that was his father, how could he beat him? As a result, the only solution left was to run. His younger brother and sister just sat on the threshold of the house, enjoying dry nuts while watching their father chasing him around and around the garden. He even heard Izuna comment that their father needed more exercises. Madara's heart nearly broke into pieces at that time. Inside his head was the calling for Hashirama!

3.

When Hashirama finally arrived at the Uchiha manor, they sat on the floor discussing what to play.

"I don't wanna catch fish again," Madara said.

"Agreed," Hashirama showed his consent. "We should find another game."

At that time, TV was announcing an advertisement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's go to our farm — Sheep&Friends. You can enjoy fresh air, lush vegetation, acres of flowers along the plains and hillside. We have open pasture for our sheep and cows to roam and graze. Do you know that catching sheep is an art? You can sign up for catching sheep activity on our farm. Our sheep have big personalities, which definitely give you time to enjoy with them. Don't think it easy. You have to think and use your brain."

Madara and Hashirama looked at each other with gleaming eyes.

Mikoto and Izuna: "…"

"But," Hashirama searched for the address, "it takes three-hour-flight to get there. It means six hours to fly back and forth, while tomorrow we'll have to go to work. Should we?"

"We'll go someday," Madara reluctantly suggested.

The TV changed to some children programme, "Let your children enjoy the countryside. From our documentary, you can see that countryside children enjoy outdoor activities more than those in cities. These countryside children can think of the games and create the game rules for themselves. Just like now, those children are catching chickens!"

Hashirama and Madara looked at each other with sparkling eyes.

Mikoto and Izuna: "…"

"Where are chickens?" Madara asked. 

"We can buy them!" Hashirama suggested, taking out his phone to call for the chicken farm.

"You're so smart, Hashi!" Madara exclaimed. "We don't need to go anywhere. Just need to send the chickens out the manor garden and chase them!!!"

"Of course, I am smart!"

Mikoto and Izuna: "…"

"How many should we buy?" Madara excitedly asked.

"Twenty?"

"Only twenty?! You're so weak, Hashi!" 

"Fifty then."

"We have the whole morning, afternoon, and evening!"

"One hundred?"

"Okay, one hundred," Madara nodded. "Who catches more before sunset will be the winner!"

"Agreed!"

"So we need to buy two cages?"

"I'll ask the farm's owner!"

"You're so smart, Hashi!"

"Of course, I am!"

Mikoto and Izuna: "…"

Later, the butler came to see Mikoto, worriedly asking her, "Lady Mikoto, there is a truck driver asked to access the Uchiha manor. He told me that someone in the manor ordered…chickens."

"Let him in!" Madara told him.

"But…," the butler looked at Mikoto.

"Mikoto!" Madara looked at his beloved younger sister, vehemently accusing the butler. "You should fire this butler. He disrespects me!"

The butler of the Uchiha manor was a middle-aged man who had grey hair quite early. Working in the Uchiha manor for years, he got used to the childish threatening messages from Madara. The butler always thought if there were a prize for who heard the word 'fire' the most, he would undoubtedly win. When he served in this house at the very first days, he worried. Now he was autoimmune. He used to have a black hair without a single grey hair, but after serving in this house, having to clean the mess created by two big children in front of him, and two other dogs in the room, he felt like he aged fast.

"Let it in," Mikoto smiled. Izuna and Mikoto shared a quick glance, understanding that they should raise the butler's salary this month. He was such a poor man to serve in this house.

The butler bowed his head and withdrew from the room. Hashirama and Madara ran to the window to look at the truck.

"Hashirama! The truck!"

"I see! Our chickens are coming!"

"Chickens! Chickens!!!"

As curious and energetic as he was, Toru jumped to the next window to look at the truck out there, barking.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!!!"

"Chickens! Chickens! Chickens!"

"Woof! Woof! Woof!!!"

"Chickens! Chickens! Chickens!"

Mikoto, Izuna, Kesu: "…"

Chickens were coming to the Uchiha manor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chickens were coming to the Uchiha manor. And Santa Claus is coming to town. Merry Christmas!


	19. One Night, Spring and Autumn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

The weather was colder and windier. It was autumn now, and then all had to welcome the harsh winter.

Every evening, Uchiha Itachi would try to finish all the works of that day as soon as possible to go home and have dinner with his wife. They looked more and more like husband and wife now. 

Or friends? Itachi couldn't define his relationship with Yoko. He indeed couldn't. The further he walked into this relationship, the vaguer he felt. It was indescribable. People honoured romantic love, but they would cry and share all the thoughts with their friends rather than their partners. There were some secrets in friendship. It usually lasted longer than love. But, Itachi asked himself, why can't a friendship be considered love? He loved his parents. He loved his younger brother. He loved Shisui and Sakura. This world seemed so demanding in romantic love as if everyone was starving and crying for food while next to them was enough to fill their stomachs. Itachi thought everything was alright now.

But something bothered him, sometimes. Shisui's hurt look, and his angry speech started to join what Shisui used to say to him before; they haunted him, hand in hand dancing around in his head. After discharged from the hospital, Shisui went straight to his parents' house instead of his own. He understood why Shisui acted in that way. First, his parents certainly suggested that he should live with them in order to have someone to look after him; he still had a bullet in his shoulder. Sakura explained to him that removing that bullet was unnecessary, or even dangerous. Still, there used to be a case that the patient died of infection right after leaving the hospital because of an unremoved bullet although he was hospitalised for two more weeks without any problem. Shisui had to go to the hospital for regular check and live with someone to notify anything abnormal immediately. He didn't want to make his parents worry about him, so staying with them could let them, especially his mother, at ease. And what was the second reason? Shisui didn't want to see Itachi. He avoided him. He was still angry with him. Shisui was hurt. With his parents around, Shisui could be distracted from that evening's talk, and Itachi, Shisui's best friend, should understand the message that Shisui was trying to send: He had no mood to talk with him now. 

Itachi sighed. 

This Tuesday night, he promised Yoko to have dinner with her in her favourite restaurant. Mostly during the dinner, they remained silent and then talked here and there later. Mostly he led the conversation, and she followed. He could feel Yoko more relaxed and more natural now. She seemed to change. It was a good sign, wasn't it? He could feel she still held back something for herself, but who didn't have their own secrets? We all had some little secrets that we would never tell anyone, even the closest person. Those secrets were private and…trivial.

After dinner, they had a walk in the park near their house. Yoko walked slowly. He slowed down his pace to adjust with hers. The frigid wind swept through the old mahoganies in the park, creating a cold broken moaning chant. Itachi heard Yoko sneeze; he turned to her, taking off his coat and wrapping it on her body. Yoko looked at him in a very complicated fashion, clutching her hands at his coat. She was surprised. And she seemed lost in thought, but she recovered from it in the blink of an eye. Her lips curved into a shy smile. She usually talked while looking at the ground, and sometimes she lifted her head in a blooming mood. 

They stopped by a drink vendor, ordering a glass of hot milk and a cup of hot tea. Sitting right in the park in an autumn night, they silently drank what they asked for. Itachi stared at the cup of tea placed in front of him, and out of a sudden, Sasuke's voice came into his head. His memories just lay in wait, attacking him. Itachi felt memories somewhat turned their backs to him, holding weapons, looking at him with the eyes of the autumn evening. No mercy.

That was the night before Sasuke's wedding, and the two brothers sat on the threshold facing the Uchiha manor's garden, hearing the sonorous melody of crickets and frogs. In the garden were cedars, maples, and quinces; on the roof was a small bronze bell swinging back and forth in the spring breeze. Between them was a small short wooden table with a pot of tea and two porcelain cups.

"I don't know what love is, Itachi. I care for our parents, is that love? I care for you, is that love? I care for Naruto, is that love? I care for Sakura, and I appreciate her love for me. I'm an introvert, seldom speaking a word, and Sakura just like that carried a spearhead attacking my world. She even didn't give me time to prepare."

"Annoying, huh?"

"Uh. But without her attacking style, I think I would stay single. I'm passive in expressing feelings and welcoming intimacy. I never tell her anything like 'I love you', brother. Why do people insist on those words? There's a bundle out there saying it and forgetting it right after it's spoken out. I only know Sakura will be my one and only wife. I care for her. I'll not mind spending the rest of my life with her. Is that love? I don't really know."

"But she accepts you like that, right?"

"Uh."

"So go with your feeling, Sasuke. Don't need to define it. Sometimes people use beautiful words to paint illusions. They set standards and ask you to follow to prove what you feel, but that's not what feelings are. Silence could be much better."

"Why are you so supportive of my decision, Itachi?"

"Because I can say I will always love you, Sasuke. No matter what you choose. But you can't say that sentence out loud, and I know it. They say Uchiha men are alike, but no one is the same. Only kids insist on such a childish argument. The reason why I am silent and why you're silent is different. Just like the way each of us behaves, as an introvert, is different. I can freely express my feelings in words around those close to me, but you have troubles with it. It's okay, Sasuke. Life is to find a person who accepts you as who you are. Sakura accepts you like that, and it's enough, Sasuke."

"But is it fair for her, Itachi?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure, Itachi. People say love is to say 'I love you', to be protective of your lover, to care for her meticulously, and to treat her like a queen. If doing all things mentioned is a way to show love, I don't know what I can give her."

"Sasuke, how is your tea?"

"My tea?" Sasuke was confused, looking at the cup of tea in his hands.

"Uh," Itachi nodded.

"Good."

"Sasuke, no one can taste the tea in your cup. Is it too cold? Or is it too hot? Is it too bitter? Or is it tasteless? Only you, Sasuke, are the person who drinks it. And you are the only one who has the rights to judge it. Only you know exactly its taste. People see you taste your cup of tea a bit differently than their standards, more slowly or much faster, a bit hesitantly or so determinedly, and they will judge you. You hate sweets, so you don't add sugar or milk in your tea, and some will look at that, judging you and sneering at you. Sasuke, how does your tea taste? You feel it good, then it's good."

Sasuke looked at his cup of tea, not saying anything.

"You don't like sweets, and Sakura loves it. After marriage, will you force her to give up her sweets?"

"Of course not."

"She accepts you, Sasuke. She accepts you as who you are. If Sakura had the standards you have mentioned, she would have never agreed to be your wife. She would have updated status and complained about you there just to receive back many comments standing up for her. Sakura knows you can't express your feelings well, and she accepts it. She knows you're not the type of romantic love, and she accepts it. You know she is a mess, and you accept it. You know she loves rambling all days and nights, and a person who loves silence like you accepts it. Sasuke, don't you understand what I'm saying?"

"Uh."

"Those who are truly happy, Sasuke," Itachi looked at the sky, gently said, "will become silent."

"And pain also," Sasuke nonchalantly added. "and sorrow, Itachi."

"I know," Itachi chuckled. "But one thing for sure, Sasuke, whoever vehemently judges other people, leaving hurt comments anonymously to lecture others how to live their lives, has a miserable life. They can't live with their true selves, and they blame the world. They send all the hatred inside themselves to everywhere under an excuse they're standing for the right. We're humans, and we are imperfect. Such people definitely make mistakes a lot, but they prefer to crush others with words because they don't dare to face their mistakes. What we see is who we are, Sasuke. Some choose to see the best of a person while others focus on the worst. If you ask me to choose between sorrow and hatred, I'll choose sorrow, Sasuke."

"I know," Sasuke also lifted his head, looking at the vast black sky. "We have the night, so we have the day. We can feel sorrow, proving we once tasted happiness."

"It seems sorrow deserves appreciating," Itachi smiled.

"I think so," Sasuke said. "I know the taste of loneliness, so I treasure what people around me have been doing for me, Itachi."

"Like Sakura?"

"Uh."

"Do you feel much better now?"

"Thank you, Itachi."

"Normally a woman before marriage will have pre-wedding jitters," Itachi chuckled, "but I think Sakura is sleeping very well now, whereas you can't sleep because of mind-wandering."

Sasuke smiled.

"Thank you, Itachi."

"We're brothers."

Before they withdrew to their own rooms, Sasuke asked Itachi, "But Itachi, how is your tea?"

Itachi glanced at Sasuke, shifting his gaze to his cup of tea on the table. A silent night. Two silent brothers. Two silent cups of tea on the table.

"My tea? Only I can taste it. You can't, Sasuke. Never can you taste it, Sasuke," Itachi looked back at his younger brother. "Focus on your tea, Sasuke."

And he hastily held his cup, taking a big sip, draining it, putting it back on the table. A small piercing sound clouded the space, hanging on the air.

"It's late. Go to sleep. We'll have a lot to do tomorrow morning."

"Itachi!"

"Itachi!"

Itachi looked at Yoko with a blank expression as if he was woken up from a very long dream.

"Are you listening to what I'm saying?" Yoko asked.

"I'm sorry," Itachi gently said. "I'm quite distracted. Can you repeat it?"

"I'm saying that I'm going to visit my father tomorrow, and I will stay there with him for some days."

"Do you need me to…"

"No, you don't. I miss him. It's a father and daughter's reunion."

"Okay then," he nodded. "Just text me when you come back."

Itachi reached his hand out to take his cup of tea, but Yoko interfered, "The tea must be cold now. My hot milk turned cold already. People say drinking hot tea which turns cold is not good for your health. We should go home now."

Itachi stared at his tea, holding it to his mouth, draining it.

"You're right," Itachi indifferently said. "It's cold now...and quite bitter. This year's weather seems much colder than last year's."

"I told you."

"Okay," he stood up. "Let's go home now."


	20. Red and Green

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

1.

On Wednesday night, Uchiha Sasuke returned home, cooking things already prepared by his wife, and having dinner with her. Everything was becoming a routine. Let's ask all the Uchihas what makes them feel most contented. The answer will be to have someone waiting for you at home for dinner. It was a fortune.

Sasuke didn't have any business trips these days, so both of them could enjoy having time together every evening. Although loads of work didn't reduce, and they were still busy with their own job while staying in the same city, at least they could meet each other in the evening. Time was so precious that they made sure to be home on time, for both of them knew that Sasuke would leave for work someday. Just like tomorrow morning…

Uchiha Sasuke would fly to another country tomorrow morning.

Yesterday, he finished his work earlier than expected, so he sent a short message to Sakura that he would drive to the hospital waiting for her. Since flowers she had bought already wilted, Sakura asked him to go to the flower market with her. Although she usually bought flowers in a small flower shop near the hospital, she considered it an activity for her alone; yet, with Sasuke, holding his hand and guiding him through the crowd around the market brought her another sense of serenity and joy. She bought many delphiniums, hydrangeas, and peonies, all in light pink and childishly enjoyed having Sasuke carry most of them for her, telling him that she couldn't buy that much if she went alone. On the way back home, the aroma of those flowers put on the back seat permeated the car. She rambled here and there and this and that about something in the hospital, shifting topics from one to another without any transition. To some degree, patience was the ruler of love. Love shallowed; patience evaporated. That was why arguing when love already disappeared just led to nowhere, for no one listened to the other attentively.

After dinner, Sasuke sliced apples and put them on a plate on the table in front of the sofa. On the table was a white porcelain vase with the peonies she bought yesterday, annoyingly asking Sasuke which bunches of peonies looked better while they all looked the same to him. It took Sakura half an hour to compare them before dragging him to another place to compare another kind of flowers. Sasuke could only sigh inwardly and follow her. Rarely did he have time to accompany her like this.

While they were quietly enjoying the apple slices, Sakura leaned her body towards the table with her mouth still chewing an apple slice, sliding her right hand under the table to draw a carton out, smoothly like she had done so many times before.

"Sasuke!" 

"Huh?"

"Where is my beef jerky?!" Sakura pointed to the empty paper box.

"Uh-huh."

"What does 'uh-huh' mean?" Sakura frustratedly said. "I remember I bought ten bags."

"No beef jerky."

"What?!"

"Yesterday, you already had your bacon. You had your ham two days ago. You ate a bag of beef jerky in one sitting three days ago," Sasuke listed smoothly in a monotone.

"Then what's the problem?!"

"Are you a doctor?"

"I am," certainly said Sakura.

"Are they good for health?"

"I just ate only one day."

"Three."

"One for each!"

"To me, they are the same."

"You're boring, Sasuke!" Sakura desperately said. "Give back my beef jerky!!!"

"No way."

"I'm a doctor, and I don't care," Sakura did wanna lift her head to cry to the sky. Her beef jerky!!! "You're a businessman, what makes you so careful?!"

"Health is gold."

"Are you afraid that processed meat makes you have difficulty with fertility?!"

"What?!"

"So why do you care so much?!"

"If it even causes that, how can you insist on it?!"

"I'm your wife, and I'm not that serious!!!"

"…"

"You're treating my beef jerky just like kidney failure!"

"…"

"Besides, I won't leave you if you're infertile!"

"…"

"And I am the one who eats it!"

"…"

"Watching your wife eating it doesn't make you infertile!"

"Sakura, can you change the subject?" Sasuke finally found his words back.

"Why do you insist on changing the subject? You're healthy! We did go to the hospital for pre-marriage health check-up!"

He lost his words again. 

"If you're having no difficulties in fertility, why do you insist on changing the topic? I'm explaining that my beef jerky is not that serious!"

"Could you please stop mentioning that topic in front of a man?"

"Why? It's scientific!"

"…"

"Beef jerky is not kidney failure!"

"…"

"You can be infertile if you have kidney failure, not because of eating some beef jerky!"

"Since when did I say eating beef jerky led to infertility?!"

"You meant it!"

"I didn't."

"You did!" Sakura energetically and devotedly argued. "I tell you; kidney failure can lead to infertility because…"

A slice of apple was put into her mouth.

She still tried to talk.

"No speaking while eating," calmly told Sasuke.

This bestowed upon Sasuke a scarce opportunity to witness his wife's exceptional chewing speed; it was faster than ever. When she finished it in a blink of an eye with the speed of the light, followed by that her mouth immediately opened to continue her speech, he quickly put another slice of apple into her mouth.

This time Sakura just gave him an accusing look, and then quietly she turned her back to him, taking the plate of slices of apple with her, leaving the back of a huffy dog as if it was forced to bathe in water after playing in the mud.

Sasuke even didn't feel a little bit guilty; he breathed out a sigh of relief and thought that he was finally successful in making her shut up. Yet, he heard the sound of the plate put on the table. He shifted his focus to where the sound came from. The plate was empty. 

Empty!

Sakura turned to him; her eyes were shining blazing glittering than ever; she eagerly suggested, "I finished everything. So can we continue with kidney failure?"

"…"

"The kidney…"

"Men committing adultery surely have very high IQ," Sasuke nonchalantly remarked.

Sakura stopped talking, gaping at Sasuke.

"You…" Sakura trailed off in a daze.

"Just a woman is annoying enough," Sasuke sighed. "They have time for two or even more."

Sakura's eyes widened; she just stared at him without any reaction. Sasuke even had a crazy image in his mind that Sakura's CPU was trying to process information in vain.

When her CPU finally succeeded in processing those simple words, all of a sudden, Sakura threw herself to him who responsively opened his arms to catch her although they were sitting on the sofa. Embracing him tightly, she screamed to his left ear, "I will annoy you to the rest of your life!!! Haruno Sakura will annoy Uchiha Sasuke to the rest of his life!" 

Sasuke didn't say anything for a while except for a swift smile like there was no smile on his lips.

"Okay," he said after his wife showed that she resumed her normal state. "You're too heavy. Get off. We have something important to discuss."

"Huh?" 

"Your father asked me how many children we plan to have. I know we consented that it was still early, but that question is still worth discussing."

"Why did my father want to know that?" Sakura frowned, confused.

"He cares for you."

"How many children do you like?"

"Sakura," Sasuke started to show his solemn demeanour. "The aspect you need to consider is not how many I like."

"We?" Sakura quickly learnt from her mistake.

"To talk about money, it's no problem. To talk about time, it's quite a problem. To talk about your health, it should be considered."

"Sasuke…"

"Huh?"

"Will our child have to face lots of pressure?" Sasuke's wife had an amazing ability in shifting topics smoothly without transitions.

"To be honest, the answer is undoubtedly yes."

She looked concerned and disturbed. Sasuke tapped his hand on her head twice and explained, "Sakura, don't think too much. Our child will be an Uchiha, and the family name will surely grant it many advantages. But there's no good food coming with no price. It will be an Uchiha from the head family, and everybody will expect a lot from it. And if it's a prodigy, they will expect more. Just like we have the president or mayors; they are put in higher positions not to enjoy authority but to pay back by receiving criticism from everyone. The higher position one stands, the more pressure one bears. You can't argue things like being in such positions is so miserable because of pressure, but the truth shows that many want to be in those places. If you wish to live a life without expectation from anyone, you are no one; you live nowhere. Do you expect that our child will proudly use the name of an Uchiha to enjoy the privileges it brings and at the same time shamefully moan that there's a lot of pressure? As a child from the head family, let me tell you. It's a shame to be in a head family without showing any strength. That was what I used to feel, Sakura. When no one shows they expect anything from you, it's much miserable than with expectation. It indicates that they think you have none to be expected. I always felt that my father had no expectations of me. But of course," he breathed out and took another deep breath, "my father did. He always trusts me. He just focused too much on Itachi."

"Sakura," he continued, "the law says everyone is required to take full responsibility at the age of 18, but it doesn't work that way in this clan. Many people destroyed others' lives, and nothing was serious just because of under 18. Their lives will continue, but the ones they destroyed mostly live vulnerably to the rest of their lives. Who will compensate for that? It's okay to make mistakes and learn from them, but some behaviours can't be covered under the mask that mistakes are unavoidable or that youths are allowed to make mistakes. They're not mistakes. In this clan, all the children must learn about self-responsibility first at the age of 12 and clan responsibility at the age of 16. Itachi learnt that even much earlier. Welcome to the Introduction of the Uchiha Clan, Sakura."

"I'm married to you for more than six months, and now I'm given an introduction," she giggled.

"Regret?" 

"No," Sakura shook her head, still giggling, and then became serious. "Just like Aunt Mito is expected much more than me. Every time there is a complicated case, she is requested to handle it. The patient's family put a high expectation on her, although they are explained that the failure rate is high. Aunt Mito has a lot of pressure. I got that."

"What I'm saying to you is that I will not shield our child from pressure. We can show our support and listen to our child's thoughts, but shielding is the thing I won't do."

"So you're a strict father, and I'm a mild mother. Our child can cry to me, and we'll enjoy talking behind your back."

"…" 

"It's like you play an evil role, and I play the angel role. Right???"

"Your comparison is…a bit too much."

"Hahaha," she burst out laughing. 

"But," she resumed her concerned look, "what'll happen if our child is not…hm…"

"Every child has its own strength, you know it."

"Uh…then?"

"Do you know Ichika?"

"Ichika? The clan elder who made the apparel for me?"

"Uh."

"Why did you mention her?"

"She has a very refined taste and is good at making clothes and embroidery, which was showed at a very young age, and she followed that path, Sakura. Not 100% business at the starting point."

"Huh?!"

"I have enough money to let our child taste everything to find out what its strengths are. Don't worry," Sasuke assured her. 

"I just thought your clan was mostly business."

"Not exactly. Like Shisui or Uncle Izuna and many more that you don't know. This clan is huge, so if any member shows their talents in some fields, they can go on those paths much smoothly than others. Like Ichika opened many stores and has been promoting handiwork for clan members who love it to join. Every child in this clan will join summer vacation class to learn clan history, kendo, kyudo, horse riding like what you saw in the festival. Some clan elders will come to open small workshops, just like Ichika opens a small embroidery class each year. That's the privilege of this family name, Sakura."

"So, what about the Senju clan?"

"Hm…you should ask your father. But it's called a clan for a reason."

"So, what about those who want to leave the clan?"

"Then leave the family name. You can show you're lost and messing here and there, and someone will talk with you or leave some space for you, but if you express your intention to leave, your name will be deleted. Hardly can you come back. As I told you, the Uchihas can accept everything but betrayal."

"Hm…," Sakura looked away. "Is hiding something considered betrayal?"

"Do you hide anything from me?" Sasuke fishily asked.

"…"

"Sakura."

"Today…," reluctantly said Sakura, "I ate sweets twice as much as usual."

"…"

"I went to Prof. Tsunade's office to borrow a pen, and I broke a bottle of sake."

"…"

"I was so scared that I immediately cleaned it. I did make the room as clean as possible and made sure there was no trace left. Even the fragrance, I eliminated it like an assassin."

"…"

"At noon, I drove to the liquor store to buy another one in order to fill the missing one to cover what I had done."

"…"

"But I was in a rush because Prof. Tsunade would come back to the office about that time, so once I got the sake, I rushed outside to get my car. But I slipped."

"…"

"And the shelf of liquor bottles collapsed."

"…"

"I didn't bring that much money with me."

"…"

"And I forgot to bring the credit card."

"…"

"But the problem I was in a rush."

"…"

"I told the staff I would come back later, but they didn't believe me."

"…"

"I called my father to pay for it."

"…"

"He paid for me, but he asked me why I bought such a huge amount of alcohol. You know, I was in a rush…"

"…"

"I told him you asked me to buy them for you."

"…"

"I held the precious sake bottle back the office and filled it in right away."

"…"

"At the same time, Prof. Tsunade came back."

"…"

"She thought I wanted to steal her sake."

"…"

"I defended myself, but it was no use."

"…"

"During my defence, I let the truth slip."

"…"

"Is that considered that I hid something from you, Sasuke?"

"No," he sighed. "In case of those stupid things you've done outside the hospital, just keep it yourself. Don't tell me. Let your husband's mind stay peaceful."

"But I broke the sake bottle inside the hospital."

"…"

"In case of any stupid things, don't tell me," a quickly updated answer from Sasuke.

"Like?" 

"Gossips in the hospital."

"So, what can I tell you?"

"Something you use your brain."

"So, can we talk about kidney failure and infertility?" Sakura found back her energy.

"…"

"I ensure you I use my brain when I'm talking about it," she determinedly excitedly guaranteed. "I'll make it very easy to understand. Let me think…we'll start at the mechanisms…"

"I prefer gossips!" immediately interfered Sasuke.

"Huh?" Sakura innocently looked at him, confused.

"…"

Uchiha Sasuke really wanted to bang his head to the wall. What did he just say? What did he just say?! An A+ in Debate depended much on what the topic was about, Sasuke painfully realised.

2.

Since Sasuke had an early flight tomorrow, they went to bed at around 9:30. Sasuke somehow got used to a unique sleep cycle: Sleeping whenever he allowed himself to sleep and waking up strictly at the time he wanted. It was a way to get used to his busy job but still have a sufficient sleep. 

"Sasuke," Sakura suddenly turned her body and talked with her face buried in his chest.

"Huh?"

"I really want to live like this with you forever," she rubbed her face against his chest once more time. Sasuke could feel her breath intermittently warm his chest. 

"Sasuke."

"Huh?"

"Do you know that women typically feel colder than men?"

"You feel cold?" Sasuke asked. "Do you need to turn on the central heating?"

"No," Sakura slightly shook her head. "You'll feel hot if we turn it on. What I mean is that you are a heater."

"Huh?"

"Women and men have the same internal body temperature, but metabolisms are different. You men generally have more muscles than women so men will generate more heat."

"Uh-huh."

"Haruno Sakura got married to you because she was poor. She didn't have enough money to buy a heater."

She felt Sasuke's chest vibrating. He seemed amused by her childish statement.

"Not because of an encyclopedia?"

"No."

"I think you view me as an encyclopedia because of your nonsense gossips."

"But you know nothing about beef jerky and kidney failure."

"…" Why did she insist on this topic?!

"Sasuke."

"No gossip. No beef jerky. No kidney failure," Sasuke learnt a precious lesson to interfere at the right time.

"I'm talking about sweets."

"Okay."

"You don't allow me to eat beef…hm…processed meat, but why do you give a pass for sweets?"

"They are different."

"Huh?"

"Besides, your father set a limit of sweets you consumed each day since you lived in the Senju manor. You have to check your blood sugar every year. And your sweets mostly aren't made with refined sugar."

"How do you know that?!"

"Itachi told me."

"Hm…"

Sasuke's phone screen suddenly lighted up, vibrating; he got out of the bed to have a look. This phone was exclusive for close friends and family members, so he had to check it. It was Izumi who was calling. Sasuke felt weird.

"Izumi?"

"Huh?! Sasuke?!" Izumi surprised to hear Sasuke's voice.

"You're calling the wrong person," casually commented Sasuke.

"Yeah!" Izumi complained of herself. "How can I call you when an 's' and an 'i' are not close together?!"

"But it's night here, Izumi. Let Itachi have some rest."

"He can't go to sleep after knowing that news!"

"News?"

"Huh? You don't know?!"

"Which news?"

"I think your mom already took a flight to the plateau, Sasuke. The news has been spreading all day, and you haven't heard anything?"

"No, I haven't, but what is it?"

"Some clan elders enjoyed wandering here and there around the plateau early this morning, and they found a cave."

"A cave?"

"Uhm," Izumi seriously said. "It was very far from the Uchiha village, and rarely does anyone go there. In that cave were a bed, a small table, a chest of clothing, and other things. It was like a small house for someone."

"You are not interested in archaeology."

"Good analytical skill! There are other things which attract my interest," she lowered her voice. "Sasuke, on the bed lay a skeleton. Not too far from that cave were two graves without names on the tablets."

"Two graves?"

"You guess…to whom might they belong?"

A little silence slipped into the conversation.

"That young talented boy?"

"Very close!" Izumi excitedly exclaimed. "So, what is the other?"

"Hm..."

"We have our graveyard, and our clan has been keeping the records of each family in the clan in detail. Throughout our history, only two people weren't allowed to enter our graveyard, Sasuke. One is that young talented boy; the other is the betrothed."

"You mean that betrothed?"

"Uhm."

"So, what about the skeleton?"

"I don't know. I heard from my mom that even Madara pushed away all the works to fly there. It might take some time."

"Maybe more than you expected Izumi. Our clan will not allow outsiders to know a single thing about us, especially this case. Even a research study is required to be conducted to find out the truth, and it will take a huge amount of time. Archaeologists sometimes are crazy with what interests them; our clan won't let outsiders have a hand in this case."

"I can wait," Izumi laughed then changed her tone to a mysterious one. "But Sasuke, do you know what the most interesting thing in this case is?"

"Huh?"

"The two graves were buried right next to each other. Such way of burying was for husband and wife, Sasuke," Izumi explained. "If those two graves really belong to the betrothed and that young talented boy, the one who buried them must have been that patriarch. Then it raises another question: Why did he bury them following the positions for husband and wife?"

"Interesting," Sasuke indifferently commented.

"I know you're not interested in it as much as Itachi and I," Izumi complained. "I'll call Itachi and Shisui. At least Shisui enjoys my thoughts."

"Calling Itachi is okay," Sasuke advised, "but I don't think calling Shisui is a good idea."

"Huh? Is he on another mission?"

"You don't know?"

"Hey…," Izumi seriously asked. "What happened?"

"He was discharged from the hospital some days ago."

"What?! What had happened???"

"Hm…"

"Uchiha Sasuke!"

Sakura tapped on Sasuke's shoulder, "Let me talk about that."

"Izumi," Sakura took the phone from Sasuke. "He has been recovering very well now. Hm…He got shot in the abdomen and the shoulder."

"No one told me!" Izumi said in an accusing tone of voice.

"He didn't want to make you worry," Sakura quickly found an excuse for Shisui. "He knew that you would fly to visit him; he just didn't want to bother anyone."

"Damn him! I'm still angry."

"Haha," Sakura playfully advised, "Shisui had a hard time in the hospital because everyone came to laugh at him. You can call him tomorrow and laugh at his porridge to burn out your anger. He's living with his parents now."

"Okay, okay, hahaha," Izumi laughed. "Thank you, Sakura."

"No problem. Good night, Izumi."

"It's morning here."

"Good morning, Izumi."

"Quick learner!" Izumi brightly commented. "Good night!"

"Okay, bye." 

"Bye."

3.

Sasuke and Sakura got back to the bed, quietly lying next to each other. The warmth of two bodies close to each other resumed its soothing nature.

"Sasuke."

Sakura rubbed her head to Sasuke's chest again.

"Huh?"

"Kesu looks very cool; Toru looks very cute."

"Then?"

"Recently, a lot of people can make money from posting their pets; should I follow?"

"Lack of money?"

"Just a possibility. Kesu and Toru are very handsome."

"You have time?"

"Just an if."

"If Kesu knows you use his images to earn money to buy some sweets, he won't let you cuddle him anymore. Don't run to me and cry."

"Even the dog you chose has so much pride."

"Huh?"

But Sakura didn't say anything anymore; she suddenly became silent. She clutched at Sasuke's pyjamas as if she tried to close the distance between them, but they were lying next to each other. She even had a delusional intention to blend herself into his body, but she couldn't. So the only solution left is to hold him tight.

"Why do you act like a cat tonight?" Sasuke chucked. She usually was an energetic dog.

"You have only some hours to sleep before your flight."

"Sound understanding," he chuckled.

"Sasuke…"

"Hm?"

"I'm worried."

"Worried?"

"Uh, I don't know why I feel like that, but I feel worried."

"Hm?"

"Nothing. Just feel worried."

"Your mind is wandering again," Sasuke stroked her hair and then tapped lightly on her head once. "I'm here. Sleep."

"Uh."

4.

At 3:30, Sasuke woke up, quietly getting out to the bed, pulling the blanket back up to his wife's shoulder. Sakura rubbed her eyes when he was getting dressed, turning her body on one side, looking at him.

"Did I wake you up?" Sasuke asked.

"No…," Sakura replied, sitting up, "I just woke up, and that's it."

"It's strange," Sasuke chucked, walking towards the bed, tapping his hand on her head. "Just go back to sleep. I'm leaving."

"I'll escort you to the airport," Sakura quickly got up.

"Huh?" Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "You don't need to…"

"It's still early. I can crawl back to bed after that."

Silence implied consent. So, Sakura quickly got dressed, getting in the car waiting for them outside. The chauffeur certainly understood that he would drive Sakura back home without asking Sasuke.

After the check-in procedure was completed, they talked for a little more before Sasuke went through the security check.

"I'm leaving for a month," he advised, "so just go to Kakashi's house or the Senju manor if you like. At least there's someone around you."

"I'm not a kid."

"You're energetic," intentionally noted Sasuke.

Sakura blushed.

"Or just stay in the hospital to make your brain function well."

"Sasuke!"

"Don't do anything stupid during the time I'm not here."

"I should have stayed in bed," Sakura huffed.

"Okay, you can go now," Sasuke looked at the giant clock specifically designed for this airport, reminding her of his leaving, "and crawl back to bed before going to work."

"Uhm."

But she just stood there. She didn't move a bit.

"Hm?" 

"Just go," Sakura smiled. "I want to watch you leaving."

"You seem so sentimental today," Sasuke chucked.

"This looks like a movie," Sakura argued childishly. "Let me enjoy it."

"Just because of a movie?" 

"Uh."

"Okay, then. Take care of yourself. I'm leaving."

And Sakura just stood there watching his figure become smaller and smaller then disappear. This scene absurdly evoked the image of Itachi's back when he excused himself and vanished into the mist. A mother and a child passed by her; she noticed the child tugged his mother's coat hem, and he pointed to Sakura, "Mom, why is she crying?"

The mom quickly gestured to ask her child to keep silent and not to point at other people like that.

Sakura didn't understand what the child had said. She turned her head to find whether anyone was standing and crying behind, but there was no one. She put her right hand to touch her face, realising that it was bathed in tears.

"Sasuke said right; I'm too sentimental these days," she murmured to herself.

Then Sakura turned her back, leaving the airport. She got in the car where the chauffeur had been waiting for her. The car rolled its wheels, carrying her to the place destined for her in silence. On the way back home, Sakura looked outside the window, seeing the streetlights consecutively passing by. Somehow these repeated patterned relived the talk with Shisui on the day of his final check to leave the hospital.

"Sakura, last night I dreamt of my death. In that dream, my body flew along with the river. It ran deep and swift, flew days and nights," Shisui narrated in a faint and hoarse voice. "Finally, my body washed ashore, just like I flew to the ocean. In that dream, my body stayed the same, Sakura. It wasn't rotten. I was quite young. That body looked much younger than I do now. Eyes closed—blood around them. Nobody found my body, and it just lay there lonely from days to nights. It was cold. It was lonely, Sakura."

"Shisui, it's just a dream."

"But it felt very true. Even now, I still felt the pain in my heart. I woke up and felt breathless, Sakura. The pain…was very very true."

"What kind of pain was that?"

"It wrenched my heart, Sakura. I didn't feel pain because of my death but the consequence of my death."

"Huh?"

"I felt like I was bathed in someone's tears. Just like my death accidentally put some weight on someone."

"People will lament of losing someone dear to them, Shisui."

"No," Shisui shook his head vaguely, thinking for a while, "what I mean is not the pain my death brought to someone, but the weight, Sakura. Just like if I had lived, I would have shared some weight with someone, but I died, and that person had to carry all of the weight. It's…lost."

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"Huh?"

"You are in a bad mood, Shisui. What are you afraid of?"

"Do you believe in reincarnation, Sakura?"

"Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, no."

"If yes, then why do we reincarnate?"

"Hm…to fulfil some missions?"

"I think it's to give us a second chance."

"But why a second chance?"

"I feel like we have made mistakes," he looked out the window. "The past. The present. The future. Mistakes in the previous life led to many terrible consequences, and we were condemned to live this life to learn about it. Just like...we stumble on the same stone. Life forces us to learn not to stumble over the same stone, but we just keep making the same mistake over and over again. Something carved in our souls drives us to fall right at that stone. And what will happen if I see the stone but don't avoid it?"

"Huh?"

"What will happen if I can't control my body and fall on the same stone again?"

"Following all of your points, I can only say that we should trust ourselves that we can learn to avoid the stone."

"But then I think...how many chances will life give to me?"

"Nothing is limitless."

"That's right!" Shisui looked back at Sakura, slowly raising his doubt. "So, what if this present life is our final chance, Sakura?"

And life was just as such. As such. In the jokes had the prophecy. In the rambles had the truth. That was why no one focused. That was why everyone just walked and stepped right at the trap. Because humans needed a red and green light. The green light was like a guarantee for safety to move; the red light was for the caution of danger. But there was no red or green light in real life. So, no one concentrated. And everyone was ambushed. And everyone was caught off guard.

Just like Sakura had done everything to cover a broken sake bottle, but the truth only slipped out during her defence responded to an unexpected accuse from Tsunade. Things happened not because they were carefully planned, but a deliberate plan was just a tool to drive the story to some unexpected events.

Sakura watched the streetlights flashing through on the way back home, dim then dark, dark then dim.

It was morning now, but the sky was sombre.

She was going home alone.

No gossip. No beef jerky. No kidney failure.


	21. Pouring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

When Uchiha Shisui reached the age of ten, his parents were believed to be dead in a fire. He was a well-behaved child and an introvert who enjoyed reading picture books while ensconcing himself in the armchair that he moved from the living room to the garden every Sunday morning. He had attended the summer vacation class for Uchiha children for 4 years, mostly being taught fables, clan traditions with some 'handiworks' like growing some carrots and feeding horses and games like Jenga and origami. The most notorious activity in this clan which every mature Uchiha recalled and laughed at was to grow carrots. The clan teachers would lead them to a garden, allocating the slot for each, and teaching them to plant something. In fact, it was a make-believe activity of which purpose was to let them experience the feeling of patiently waiting for something lovely. The clan teachers had already prepared the soil and the seeds very well, even the fertiliser and the suitable places with enough sunlight and shade, which meant 99% the carrots would successfully grow. Shisui was given a small diary to keep a record of his carrot, drawing and scribbling about it. The plateau's weather was still quite cool and comfortable so that carrots, a cool-season crop, could even grow with their own original speed to reach maturity between two to four months. Carrots could grow sweeter after some light frost, and hence they were popular plants on the plateau. It was rumoured that the Uchihas had such good sense of target because of eating carrots from generation to generation.

On that fateful day, Shisui's parents sent him to live with his grandparents during the weekend while they enjoyed a trip to a mountain. Initially, they planned to take him with them, but his grandma accidentally and coincidentally called them to send him there since they missed their grandson so much. At that time, Shisui was ten years old; Itachi was five years old, and Sasuke was born a few months ago.

Shisui remembered he saw the news on the TV that there was a sudden wildfire on the mountain where his parents went. Shisui was just a little boy with a good memory. He called his grandpa, who immediately dialled his father's and mother's phone numbers respectively countless times, but there was no response. The images shown on the TV were all fire and smoke, and the reporter just kept reporting how devastating it was. Shisui was worried, but he reminded himself that making a fuss didn't solve anything. His grandma came back home from the market, and the news just gave her sudden emotional stress from a mixture of grief and fear which led to heart failure while she had no medical history of heart disease. They rode with her in the back of the ambulance to the hospital. Shisui, sitting on his grandpa's lap, innocently watched the nurses and the patients pacing back and forth; the sound of people's walking and stepping on the floor suddenly became loud in his ears; his grandma's terrified face, his grandpa's worried countenance, and many more faces he didn't know just mingled in his head. Shisui didn't make any sound. He kept silent all the way, clutching at the grandpa's coat.

Later, he heard the grandpa murmur something unclear — something about the head family. He took out the phone and called someone. That was all Shisui knew. Amidst in such traumatic event to him, when no one told him that his parents were safe, and he had to witness a real person dear to him suffering from a heart failure, the way his grandpa called the so-called head family made Shisui think the head family in his grandpa's murmur was a superhero who would appear and solve everything. They would give back his parents to him; they even could revive his grandma from her heart attack. The head family might be magic.

Mikoto and Fugaku did come to the hospital, hugging his grandpa, and waiting with them. They did send a person to talk with someone, but everything was done quietly — no shouting or demanding like in the TV shows. Receiving the news that his grandma's situation was stable, they left the grandpa with someone he didn't know and took him back to the Uchiha manor. That was the first time Shisui was so close to the head family. He attended clan classes but hadn't reached the age of learning clan history; all he did from six years old to ten years old in those classes were to nurture friendship with some children of the same age and grow carrots. He hadn't been taught anything about how the clan worked, and he only looked at the head family from afar at some parties and clan reunion.

Because he showed himself as a well-behaved and understanding child, he was allowed to stay updated of the news about the fire, and thus he came to realise that the head family wasn't magic. All they did was to donate money to the organisations that support the rescue and the victims of the fire, including animals. They couldn't fly there to find his parents. They couldn't bring them back to him.

At night, he was told to go to sleep, and he did what he was told. Making a mess or crying out loud just caused more unnecessary problems; Shisui hoped that his behaviours contributed a bit to this situation and that they could have time to focus on his parents.

But fear engulfed Shisui — the fear that he would become an orphan and that he wouldn't have a home to go back. It was a sheer terror to think of arriving home but not smelling the food's savoury aroma flying from the kitchen anymore. Since the rescue was to focus on where the rescue teams could reach, which meant his parents' position was hopeless. Everybody prepared for the worst already, and Shisui could feel the pity and the worried look on him; he even heard some clan elders discuss who would take care of him in case of his parents' deaths. Shisui tried to behave as well as he could, yet he felt a force of violence boiling in his little body at night. Just a day…but it made Shisui feel like a thousand years had passed. It tortured him. A peaceful child like him couldn't figure out how to release all the unknown power inside. Sometimes, he had a feeling that he lost all of the senses and thus desperately wanted to prove he could feel things. He couldn't hurt other people, so he thought it would be okay to hurt himself. He was frantically thirsty for pain — a feeling that proved him alive, exist, and all the chaos around him was as true as gold. Shisui tried to suppress it; yet, the more he bottled it up, the stronger it became. It roared inside his head, and thus Shisui craved to bang his head to the wall. It acted like a spring. More forces all it just brought him more hurt. 

But Shisui successfully suppressed it for that night.

The next morning, no good news came, and neither did bad news. All the rescue forces tried to save the households in danger of the fire. However, his parents went somewhere in the centre; no one could get there for a rescue. The smoke affected the weather and obstructed the view; the heat was as dangerous as the fire. Every day the TV was talking about the estimate of loss with red and orange images. Shisui was still a good child.

On the second night, when the time he was supposed to go to sleep came, he stood up, about to go straight to the bedroom they had prepared for him without any reminder. He, however, was stopped by Mikoto, who held him up, let his head rely on her shoulder, tapped her hand on his back, and said, "Shisui, cry out, dear!"

Shisui didn't cry. He remained silent. All seemed engulfed in silence as though the clan elders shut their mouths up. Mikoto just held him like that, carried him while walking around the main manor's living room, and kept repeating 'Cry out, Shisui'. About the third or fourth round, he started to burst out crying. That night he slept with Mikoto, clutching his tiny hands on her shirt.

The next morning when he woke up, Mikoto carefully explained to him, "Shisui, we can't do much in this situation. I know you can understand what I'm saying, and it's no use shielding the information you need to know. We can't risk someone's life to save your parents when we even don't exactly what is going on. All we can do is to support the forces on the front lines with a small hope your parents will be saved somehow because of our support. We can only hope that kindness and good deed will lead to some good fruits by reducing the weight on the rescuers and volunteers, Shisui, although it is quite slow and not that on-point. But that is the only thing we can do now."

That was the moment Shisui understood his parents' saying that he had to show respect to the head family. They were not superheroes or people with magical power. Yet their existence was to be the final home for the clan members, just like Mikoto held him up and carried him all the way until he cried out. If anything had happened to his parents, they would have been the ones taking care of him. They might not bring him any magic, but they were trying to tell him that they were always there for him. As he grew up, he understood more. This clan's members somewhat enjoyed messing around under supervision since they knew there was the head family where they could seek the final support, which didn't mean 100% concrete solutions, but emotional ones. This was proved when his parents were rescued. Some weeks after they could go back home and enjoy dinner, his parents noticed that Shisui changed. He was a well-behaved child as before, but he looked more mature. He shared his thoughts during the time they were missing; his parents looked at each other and then told him that they indeed thought of their imminent deaths with the only trust that the head family would take care of him.

Shisui learnt a precious lesson. Like the way Mikoto supported firefighters on the front lines, she didn't think that it must be his parents to be saved to act. She acted that way with hope, a very very little hope. It shaped the way Shisui chose his career. He didn't need recognition from anyone. All he did was to save people with a vain hope that somehow someone would save his beloved people on the verge of danger. He was not selfless; he acted with purpose — an invisible and unknown exchange. Once he showed his kindness, he hoped others would trust in humanity, and they would spread kindness, from this one to that one. He knew very clearly it was little and had a slow effect, but his belief stood firm. Uchiha Shisui didn't desire to be a hero. He just hoped his kindness spreading as a fruit that someday somewhere somebody who still trusted in humanity would lend his parents a hand. Whoever wants to be treated with kindness must be kindness itself, Shisui thought. Shisui only wished those he loved to be happy and healthy, and someone would give his beloved ones an umbrella when the rain suddenly poured down because he would always give his own umbrella to anyone in need.

On the third night at the Uchiha manor, he was moved to sleep with Itachi. Fugaku suggested that Shisui need a friend while Mikoto didn't always have time to stay by his side. That was the first time he had known the clan heir. They slept on the same bed with a cot for Sasuke. It was seemingly that Sasuke only left Itachi for breastfeeding. Shisui didn't understand much about the whole situation in the room. Is a baby supposed to stay with his parents? 

Shisui was embarrassed, not knowing how to live in the same room with someone younger than him. Shisui was an only child, mostly befriending with classmates and being around with someone older than him. Now in this room, he was the oldest, staying with a kid and a baby; still, Itachi looked very calm. He made an excellent short self-introduction before they went to bed. Two children and a baby slept in the same room. It was an uncanny feeling. They didn't talk anything during the first night, but Shisui at least could find back the sleepy, exhausted feeling amidst of his worries.

On the third night, after Itachi sang a lullaby for Sasuke to sleep, he crawled on the bed with Shisui and spoke in an undertone to avoid waking Sasuke the baby.

"Are you worried?"

"Huh?"

"Your parents…I heard that."

"Uh."

"No news sometimes means good news."

"Uh."

"I indeed don't know what to say."

"I know. There's just a little…very little hope. Death is scary, isn't it?"

"What is death?" Itachi innocently asked.

"Hm…somebody will disappear from your life forever," an innocent knowledgable answer from Shisui.

"So what does Sasuke mean?"

"Huh? Why did you mention Sasuke?"

"He suddenly appeared in my life some months ago."

"It's called birth."

"So…death and birth…disappearing and appearing…"

"Maybe."

"So we have hope and despair."

"Uh."

"Do you still have hope inside?"

"I do."

"What does it feel like?"

"Hm…," Shisui thought for a while, murmuring, "some kind of wishing for something good…but also afraid of disappointment."

"Because thing doesn't end as you hope?"

"Uh."

"But there's still hope."

"Uh."

They ended their chat there, and silence again enveloped the room with the soothing breathing sound. Shisui didn't know when he fell asleep, but he slept and woke up with better feelings this time.

His parents were rescued on the fourth day when the fire was put out. Some stupid people had a camp and lit a fire illegally without making sure the fire out completely, resulting in this disaster. The pagoda they visited was made of wood. Once the monks noticed the smoke and the flame was spreading closer, they knew it was too late and too dangerous to run to anywhere without knowing exactly what was happening. Hence, they came to the final solution: to seek shelters at a waterfall near the pagoda. Luckily, there was a cave there, so they moved to hide in it, but obviously, they couldn't escape from the smoke and live under the condition of no food, and the water's chemical components undoubtedly changed due to the fire. They were brought to the hospital in an exhausted state, and Shisui wasn't allowed to meet his parents due to safety reason. The doctors explained his parents were required to put through a series of health checks whether they were exposed to any kind of infections due to harsh condition. A relieved Shisui had to live in the Uchiha manor for a while.

When they got closer, Itachi invited him to eat dangos with him. Uchiha Shisui felt desperate. He hated dango! It tasted terrible. 

But that kid sincerely took out a dish of dangos like a treasury. Shisui felt he couldn't let him down. So he bravely took one dango and ate it. While eating, they chatted here and there, mostly about school and summer vacation classes since Itachi hadn't attended such courses yet. When Shisui reached his hand out to take another dango, he painfully noticed the dish was empty. It seemed dangos didn't taste that bad. Did he eat at the wrong store back then? Or did the dangos from the head family taste different? He looked at the dish so confusedly that Itachi thought he was disappointed because of no dango left.

"We can't have more dangos today," Itachi the little kid explained. "The housekeeper only bought six each day. We have to wait until tomorrow."

Uchiha Shisui felt he had a genetic mutation at the age of ten after eating dangos while chatting. Food carried memories. Those dangos was a symbol of warm feeling shared between two kids, carrying a soothing and comforting memory, and hence every time Shisui eat dangos, he felt like someone was embracing him from behind.

When Shisui turned eleven, Itachi turned six — the age of entering clan classes during summer vacation. Shisui took the initiative to find Itachi. Their very first topic was to talk about…growing carrots. Itachi calmly and slowly took out his notebook with meticulous care. Inside were his dairy notes, divided into Day 1, Day 2, etc. with illustrations by colour pencils. Shisui got to the higher grade and started learning another subject already, such as shuttlecock kicking and sudoku. Kendo and horse riding was taught at the age of seven, whereas they had to wait until fifteen years old to learn kyudo because it was an art requiring a lot of control over the arms and upper body which adolescents was unsuitable due to being in the most prominent growth spurts of changing their bodies physically. 

Gradually, every summer vacation, they enjoyed spending time together, riding horses, feeding horses, bathing horses, or some kendo matches and archery training. Sometimes Itachi and Shisui rode their horses along the riverside, sharing their views of the world, life, and value. Shisui got to know Izumi introduced by Itachi, and they secretly enjoyed sweets together.

To Shisui, Itachi was no doubt a genius in both skills and thoughts. This child contemplated many things that hardly could an adult think of. At the age of five, he questioned about life and death, hope and despair, which numerous people never once asked and yearned for an answer as much as him. People died even without knowing why they died; or at the moment of lingering between life and death, they had a few nebulous ideas, questioning what they had done and what the meanings of their lives were. And Shisui learnt that the gift Itachi received or was forced to accept carried a curse. 

Itachi overthought.

Itachi overwhelmed himself.

Some simple things going through Itachi's brain would become complicated. Understanding things too early compared to his age just separated Itachi from the world and automatically and invisibly put a weight on his shoulder. His foolish little cousin's small body carried inside the weight of which the size was more tremendous than its container. Shisui feared that Itachi would explode, but fortunately or unfortunately, he hadn't exploded once. The head family, as what Shisui painfully learnt, was supposed to be always in a state of existence, which meant the bloodline was extremely important. Other clan members could stay single, and their family might end at their generations, but the head family couldn't. 

Itachi must carry the bloodline. Itachi must marry someone.

Adopting outside the head family was an exceptional case when chaos happened in the first patriarch's era after the exile. When the trust was put on the line of a family for an extended period, changing the bloodline could generate doubts. Even in the case of that patriarch, the adopted child's family had to vow that the chosen child wouldn't be tied to them, and they had to accept that they would never enter the main power of the clan. Orders must be preserved to maintain stability.

Shisui and Itachi lived in the same city, and hence they could call each other for a drink whenever they wanted. But it seemed nowhere could be compared to the plateau. Childhood shaped a person in a mysterious way; it manifested the memories of the past into beautiful reminiscence; it carved symbols in a person's dream. The plateau was the representative of tranquillity, and nowhere would bring the Uchihas, especially Itachi, the sense of sobriety and calmness better than their old home. Those days they rode the horse and enjoyed the languor of a stroll early in the morning with a summer breeze.

"Itachi," Shisui called his foolish little cousin while sitting next to him, facing the still placid and glassy lake.

"Huh?"

"You must marry someone, right?"

"Uh."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I hope."

"Hope?"

"Uh…Just a hope."

"Hope what?"

"Hope I can meet the girl I love."

"Hm…"

"And she loves me," he added.

"But what will happen if you don't meet her?"

"If I can meet her, that's my luck; if not, that's my fate."

"Then?"

"Then?"

"How are you going to follow your fate?"

"Let it be."

"Huh?!"

"That's why it's called hope."

Shisui sighed. Is it the reason why the head family has the tradition of having two children?

Another day, another conversation. At that time, Itachi was a teenager who stayed aloof from the clan.

"Have you ever considered that the clan elders would decide to give Sasuke the heir title?"

"No."

"Huh?"

"I won't let them do that."

"But you are staying stand-offish towards the whole clan, Itachi."

"But I still accomplish what I'm supposed to do as the heir."

"Hm…"

"I won't let Sasuke become the heir, Shisui."

"If others hear your statement, they are likely to misunderstand that you two are against each other for the heir tittle."

"You understand me; it's enough."

"You want to protect Sasuke, huh?"

"I always think Sasuke was born to be happy."

"What about you?"

"I'm fine."

"Sasuke hopes you live a happy life too, Itachi."

"I know."

"He adores you, Itachi."

"I know."

"And Sasuke doesn't need you to shield him."

"I know," Itachi calmly said, "and I don't shield him, Shisui."

"Huh? So what are you doing?"

"Do my duty. Sasuke will have his own duty when he grows up. But not as the clan heir. That's it."

Itachi often smiled. His smile was a simple curve on his lips without making any sound. Sasuke found it hard to express his feelings with words, but Itachi didn't. Itachi could express himself very well when being around with his beloved people. Itachi's nature was merely so calm that he often didn't change his countenance, so a smile without a sound even when staying with him was still a mystery to Shisui. He used to assume that it was Itachi's smiling style and that he would never have a chance to hear Itachi's laughter, but he was wrong.

When Itachi got into the university, he moved to a small house near the school. That house somewhat looked like his shelter now but quite old. The house's landlady moved back to the countryside to enjoy her idle days in retirement. That old house grew an Okame cherry tree and a red maple tree which were already mature. The house's wooden gate was rotten, but Itachi didn't care, so basically everyone could enter his house. Itachi lived a university life in a small old house believing nobody would break into his house to steal anything since nothing was precious there. He had lived there even after he graduated from the university; the landlady, however, requested the house back for her nephew to move in a few years ago, so Itachi built another shelter based on that house. But why did Itachi build his shelter similar to that? Despite Itachi’s nonchalant and playful remark that inside the old house was nothing precious, Shisui did notice something precious — Itachi’s memories. Itachi's memories once buried there.

One morning, as usual, Shisui pushed the old rotten gate, going straight to the garden. That time he heard Itachi's laughter of which the tone was warm and light like the gentle sound of the wind rustling on a breezy autumn night. Shisui curiously walked to the garden, slowly and quietly, and he saw two people sitting across from each other on two chairs which probably were moved from the kitchen. They soaked their feet in a bowl of water filled with rose petals, and sometimes the girl with her rose gold dyed hair splashed the water towards Itachi. Shisui didn't have an intention to peep at them; he just felt incomprehensible and...happy. He was touched to paralysis. The girl even used her feet to stroke Itachi's, and Itachi responded by using his foot to caress hers back. Shisui felt his existence there was redundant, so he left the house without saying a word.

The second time was when he came in and saw the same girl sleeping on the sofa with her medical book already falling to the floor. Itachi gestured him to keep silent, covered her with the blanket which he had taken from the bedroom, and bent his body to collect the book and the pencil on the floor, putting them back neatly on the table.

The third time was when he again entered the house and saw Itachi kissing her. The girl leaned her body against the Okame cherry tree's trunk, and Itachi's hands didn't touch her but the tree instead. Shisui felt his destiny was damn unlucky to witness these scenes since his brain couldn't command his legs to walk away. The way Itachi kissed the girl was different from the Itachi that Shisui had known. A gentle Itachi was supposed to kiss gently, but what Shisui saw was different. He kissed the girl vigorously and passionately. It was utterly beyond Shisui's imagination. And right at that time, Shisui came to realise something. Itachi needed a person to let what he buried inside pour out. Shisui had Uchiha mode and Shisui mode to balance himself. Sasuke had his cold demeanour and his small warm gestures of care and love. Itachi always remained calm and kind to everyone, so where was his way out? 

Itachi poured his love to Sasuke, and Sasuke grew up and flew away. Itachi needed a person for him to pour his love and his pain thoroughly. Itachi needed someone by his side. That was the reason why the way he kissed not gently like what he was supposed to. Uchiha Itachi needed a person for him to act without much control or suppressing anything. Unfortunately, among all the possibilities and all the ways to release and balance himself, Itachi, the one who always behaved like a monk or a recluse, was the type who balanced himself through another being.

Shisui sighed when he was having his porridge cooked by his mom, recalling all these memories.

"Does it taste that bad?"

"Huh?" Shisui looked at his mom.

"You're eating it like it's torturing you!"

"No, mom," Shisui smiled. "Your cooking skill is amazing as ever, but your son is fed up with porridge."

"Hm…I remember Sakura told me you could change to normal food."

"Really?!"

"Uh, but I think to be safe, I should give you porridge."

"What…"

"What'll happen if you have a problem with normal food?" 

"Doctors give me a pass on normal food, right?"

"Uh, but not I."

"…"

"Izumi called me yesterday."

"Huh?"

"She told me I should be careful when giving you normal food. It's better to lengthen the time you eat porridge to make sure nothing gonna happen. Doctors might just pity you, especially when you complained too much with Sakura. I thought Izumi was right."

"What?!" Uchiha Shisui exclaimed confusedly and instantly looked at his father like 'Dad, save your beloved son!'.

Uchiha Kagami received his son's SOS signal, calmly used his chopsticks to take a piece of beef teriyaki, put it into his mouth, chewing slowly before talking, "Darling, your beef teriyaki is crispy and sweetly delicious."

"Of course," his mom proudly said. "Who am I?" 

Shisui's mother was a famous chef.

"Shisui has had porridge quite a long time, huh?"

"Uh," his mom nodded.

"If the doctor says okay, why don't you let him switch back to his normal food?"

Dad, you're amazing! 

"I know, but his health is my priority."

"But asking our son to have porridge while we're having his favourite food is quite torturing to him."

"So…," his mom pondered, "should we change to porridge with him?"

"…"

"…"

"No," Uchiha Kagami quickly said, "I think it's okay now."

Dad!!!

While Shisui's mom came to the kitchen to fill some water, Shisui sent his father a hurt look, "How can you do that to your son?"

"So what can I do?"

"You have to fight for your son."

"And then end up with porridge. Shisui, happiness...can be shared. Porridge…keep it yourself."

"Am I your son?" 

"Am I your father?"

Shisui quickly finished his porridge with all of his power to run back to his bedroom and take the phone to call for Izumi —the origin of everything.

"Shisui," Izumi brightly greeted him, but Shisui sensed a gloatingly evil smile intentionally shining all over him.

"What did you tell my mom?"

"Uh-huh."

"How could you do that to me?!"

"Uh?" Izumi asked innocently. "What did I do?"

"You!!!" 

"Why do you get angry just because of some porridge?"

"Do you know how long I have had porridge?!"

"Huh? Very long?"

"Of course!"

"So it's equivalent to how long you hid me the news that you were hospitalised."

"…"

"Why did you suddenly become silent?" Izumi mildly raised her question and then slowly commanded. "Tell me!"

"…"

"Oh...you don't dare to say anything right now," Shisui even could hear the sound of Izumi's tapping her nail on the table. "I was considering whether I should visit you. Your mom will definitely be happy when hearing I'm visiting."

"I'm sorry," Uchiha Shisui knew that his mom would listen to whatever Izumi said. Until now, he still found it illogical that his mom held a golden belief that Izumi was always right. His life was damn hard enough. Bowing your head to exchange with some normal food is okay, Shisui told himself.

"Uh-huh."

"I should have told you."

"Uh-huh."

"Uchiha Shisui desperately begs for your mercy."

"Uh-huh."

"Stay in your country. Be the queen of your kingdom."

"Okay. The queen accepts your apology."

"My pleasure."

"With a condition."

"…"

"Tell me a way to burn out my anger. You didn't call me; I'm okay. Why did even Itachi not send me a word?!"

"He's…busy," Shisui calmly replied. Itachi was the topic that Shisui didn't want to hear the most now.

"Shisui…," Izumi changed her tone of voice to a serious one, "what happened between you and Itachi?"

"Nothing."

"So it means something."

"I just…," he paused for a while, "had an argument with him."

"Huh?!" Izumi showed her confusion. "How could you two argue to such level?"

"Just…argue to nowhere."

"Shisui…"

"Don't ask me, Izumi."

"Man talk, huh?"

"Kind of."

"Shisui," Izumi paused, gathering her thoughts, "I won't interfere what happened between you two. You labelled it as private man talk; I respect that. Well…man talk…so why do I need to interfere? But this is serious, Shisui. Two calm and mild men in our clan argued to nowhere, even resulting in your changing mood when hearing Itachi's name. Shisui, no matter what happened between you two, both of you shouldn't give up on each other."

"You don't need to make it sound that serious."

"It is serious," Izumi emphasised the word 'serious'.

"I know," Shisui sighed.

"Itachi is quite stubborn, sometimes. I know that. But if you leave him, he is the person of 'I let you go if you wanna go'. Do you know what that means?"

"I know," Shisui sighed. "But I don't have a good mood to talk to him now."

"Then wait until you have a good mood," obvious answer from Izumi.

"What'll happen if it's too late?"

"Too late what?"

"Too late is too late."

"I don't know what you're talking about. My thought is straightforward. When you find back your good mood, contact him and tell him whatever you like."

"But our argument will start again and end nowhere."

"Then, don't ignite the argument."

"It's there!"

"Maybe when you find back your mood, the argument ends itself."

"How can?"

"I don't care, Shisui. I only know that the problem between you and Itachi is that you two don't want to see each other just because of a nonsense man talk. Your friendship with Itachi is only worth that much, huh?"

"Of course not."

"Then find back your mood. Contact him."

"And tell him what?"

"Tell him something you want to tell."

"I don't have anything to talk with him right now."

"You will."

Shisui didn't say anything in response.

"Shisui, Itachi only has you as his best friend who understands him more than anyone," Izumi sighed the first time during the whole conversation. "Kisame adores Itachi, but he acts like a father who panders to his child's wish. Luckily his 'child' is not a spoilt kid; otherwise, Kisame would end the world if Itachi ordered. You understand Itachi's childhood, Itachi's growing progress, and you're an Uchiha. Sometimes only an Uchiha can understand an Uchiha. I'm his best friend too but not as close as you. There's something only shared between men, right? You know a lot about Itachi which I don't. We have a generation gap between our parents and us and some secret feelings hardly could we share with them, so basically Itachi won't open up to his parents. To Sasuke, it's hopeless. He loves Sasuke so much that he won't let Sasuke think he's unhappy. If you leave him, Itachi will end up somewhere I don't know, but I'm sure it's a bad place."

"I know."

"I don't tell you that you have to call him immediately. What I mean is not to give up on him, Shisui."

"I don't say I'll give up on him."

"But you won't contact him because you feel it's hopeless to have a talk with him. After a long awkward time, you will end up going back to the Special Forces without a single word. And Itachi will misinterpret that message. Itachi won't call you even if he needs you."

Silence covered the conversation.

"See? Just make sure to contact him right after you find back your mood."

"Uh."

"Late or not isn't important. Do or don't matters."

"Okay."

"While I'm excited to death to find someone to talk about," Izumi growled, "I find two hopeless men."

"Erh…you mean the two graves?"

"It's too late, Shisui. The queen doesn't have a good mood to discuss with you now."

"…"

"She'll follow and respect her mood; she will call you when she finds back her mood," Izumi insinuated.

"Thank you, Izumi."

"The queen is busy with her kingdom."

"Knight Shisui bade farewell to the queen."

"The queen bade thee leave." 

After ending the call, Shisui sighed again. He felt he sighed a lot these days. He walked to the chest of drawers and opened one, taking a small paper box out, placing it on the table. There were many postcards inside, mostly the photos taken by Itachi with some quotes he wrote by a fountain pen. Despite being a prodigy, Itachi didn't skip his years in primary and secondary schools since his parents thought it would affect him badly if they allowed him to jump a considerable gap to learn with some students much older than him. He was gifted, and of course, he would feel bored in the lower-level class, so Mikoto instead bought him books and hired a private tutor to fill that gap. When Itachi was a teenager, he started to distance himself from the clan, so instead of skipping high school as planned, his parents opted to give him some space. Itachi enrolled in an ordinary high school and silently lived a typical high school life while continuing with his clan studies and self-study himself. In other words, Itachi was a prodigy who moved as slow as others. Still, he exploited the leisurely time to learn different things in his own way like art, philosophy, and well…trying with Shisui with some military stuff under the wings of Izuna. He usually took photos and went to a print shop to make his own postcards, writing to Shisui what he thought recently or some quotes he liked.

Shisui randomly took out some of them.

"It's windy today. I bought three dangos and ate them alone. The flowers in the Uchiha manor just bloomed last night. Beautiful things love secretly appearing and silently disappearing. Sasuke asked for permission to sleep at Kakashi's house tonight. Although he thought he hid his feelings quite well, I could feel he was happy. I'm happy, Shisui."

Another postcard after Itachi officially handled clan business:

"No matter how outwardly the Uchihas are different, we inwardly value love much deeper than anyone."

And a postcard when Itachi was studying in the university:

"Today, I skipped a business class to attend a course talking about some psychologists. Today was a lesson about Carl Jung. The lecturer gave us handouts, and I quickly read through them. This class is very interesting, and the lecturer is a sagacious man. I love this class, Shisui. There's a quote attracting my attention, and I took a photo of it to share with you."

He turned to the other side of the postcard to look at the photo Itachi took. It was a photo of a paper with some patches of sunlight shining on it. The letters were printed in black ink. It wrote:

"It is a frightening thought that man also has a shadow side to him, consisting not just of little weaknesses and foibles, but of a positively demonic dynamism."


	22. Pale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

1.

Haruno Sakura woke up, drowsily looking around the room to remind her that she had slept in the bedroom for her and Sasuke in the Uchiha manor. This was, of course, Sasuke's bedroom originally, designed again in a pure white and jet-black palette, of which the tonal difference created a very strong contrasting design statement. Still, a colourful person like Sakura felt it monotonous. Yet she found it troublesome and considered it a huge waste of money to repaint and refurnish the whole room, so she could only change the bed cover to the blush pink and the pillow cover to dark blue, hang some pictures of blush pink peony or cherry blossom on a black background, and find a painter to paint a giant dusty rose flower mural behind the bed, which transformed the taste of the room from masculine one to something sophisticated and androgynous.

Uchiha men were boring, she thought. Itachi had a room in grey and white palette, lending itself a very traditional and classic look. She complained to Shisui that black and grey made no difference to her since they were all monochromatic colour schemes and suggested that Itachi change to pink, green, and white palette, representing his dangos. Shisui laughed at that idea and told her that Itachi would rather die. Later, they decided to buy a birthday gift for Itachi, three round filled throw pillows in pink, white, and green. Itachi could only accept them reluctantly and then quietly put those outstanding pillows on his grey sofa under the threatening look 'Don't you dare to throw our gift away' from his two naughty friends, making Sakura and Shisui cheerfully do a high five to celebrate their success. About Shisui, he was a big fan of banana green, but his room, which she once visited, was painted in muted green shades such as sage and mossy green. It was seemingly that Uchiha men loved the dark tone. Without Mikoto, Sakura thought this manor would have had vampire gothic style instead of warm and cosy hues in the main manor.

Since Sasuke left for a business trip, Sakura decided to stay in the Uchiha manor from Friday night to Sunday. Last night, when she walked into the Uchiha manor, it surprised her to see Itachi also here, sitting on the sofa and having tea. He told her he came back here two or three days ago and asked her what she was doing here. Sakura explained that she missed her Kesu and Toru. Later, her parents-in-law appeared; Mikoto suggested they should go to a newly built pet-friendly shopping mall with their precious dogs. Once the decision was made, they got in the car with the two noble bloodline animals. Hence, in the car were three calm people and a not-giving-a-damn-about-the-word dog with an excited girl and an overexcited dog. Sakura walked with Kesu and Toru on a leash as required although they were trained to be well-behaved, friendly, and socialised. They walked around the mall, buying some ice-creams, and telling some jokes. When they were about to walk up the stairs, Toru just sat down and refused to go with them. Sakura, learning from what other people did with their small dogs around her, confidently walked towards Toru, bending her body, putting her right arm behind his back legs, wrapping her left arm around the front of his chest, and ready to rise up. But damn she couldn't pick him up!

"Toru," Sakura said in a tearful voice, "what have you been eating recently? You're too heavy!"

And she heard Mikoto, Fugaku, and Itachi burst out laughing behind her. You walked to the dog like a powerful god and ended up even not being able to pick it up; this scene was so embarrassing. Sakura, who used to be hurt at the Senju manor because of Kesu, now felt Toru hurt her self-esteem right in public. She turned her head and looked at Itachi with puppy eyes to call for help, creating a picture like there were three dogs in the family. Itachi, still smiling, calmly walked towards her and picked Toru up. They went up the stairs, and the scene looked very extraordinary. A handsome man carrying a Golden Retriever attracted a lot of attention.

"Itachi might become famous because of carrying a dog instead of being the Uchiha heir," Mikoto laughed. Fugaku chuckled.

"I should take a picture and sell it into a magazine," Sakura happily said. "How much money can I get? Hm…maybe enough to buy some sweets for a week? Or a month?!"

Itachi smiled, "You will be at risk of loss."

"Huh?"

"I won't share my sweets with you anymore. Then we'll see who gains more."

"I'll report to Shisui!"

Itachi was suddenly stiff for a second then relaxed his body and calmly smiled. His reaction was so swift that hardly could anyone notice, "Hm…he will take your side."

"Of course!" Sakura proudly said.

Meanwhile, our two dogs shared a secret conversation:

Toru: "Our hooman is impossible, Kesu."

Kesu: "Being picked up is embarrassing."

Toru: "It's comfortable, though."

Kesu: "It's a shame to our noble bloodline."

Toru: "So…do we need to rule the world, Kesu?"

Kesu: "?"

Toru: "We are noble. Hoomans are such weak animals. They have no chance compared to us. Only the cat can be considered as our enemy! This mission is impawtant, right?"

Kesu: "Important, not impawtant."

Toru: "Dog language is more beautiful than hooman language! Recently I feel I'm becoming more intelligent."

Kesu: "?"

Toru: "I master three languages: dog language, hooman language, and cat language. You see, Kesu, I have a higher IQ than hooman. Our hoomans don't understand dog language!"

Kesu: "Zero multiplied by a hundred equals zero."

Toru: "What does it mean, Kesu?"

Kesu: "Zero."

When they set foot on the second floor, Itachi put Toru down, and they visited some new stores to try some drinks and small cakes. Mostly Fugaku and Itachi patiently walked behind Mikoto and Sakura and held the leashes for Kesu and Toru when two women dragged each other to the stores selling cute tiny things before enjoying another stroll around the park (Kesu and Toru loved this more than the mall) until 9:00. Although it was colder these days, that night was incredibly heart-warming, even just for recalling.

Yawning, Sakura leaned her body to take her phone on the bedtable and checked her messages as per usual. Among those predictable ones, she saw her little old man's message. The new book didn't come out that fast, right? Being an adopted daughter of a creepy man for a very long time trained Sakura's heart to be always ready for creepy things.

"Dear Sakura," Sakura now prepared for the bad news. "your little old man just checked his medical masks last night, and there were only a few left. Maybe only enough for two weeks. As you know, your little old man has a very smooth sensitive skin which needs protection at all cost; remember to buy more for your little old man."

Wow. Sakura thought inwardly. Today he was less dramatic. But right at that time, her phone popped up a new notification for a new message. 

From Kakashi. 

She opened it.

"He's old. His children all flew away. Nobody cares for him."

"…"

Sakura felt dumb. He said he was old, but his skin was still so smooth. Is it a way to laugh at all the girls trying to buy cosmetics for skincare out there? There were some buying a bundle of cosmetic products, but their skins still looked terrible, whereas some bathed their faces in shampoo, but skins looked glorious. Kakashi was the latter. If someone invited her little old man to a beauty show and asked him about his beauty secret, he might tell them to bathe the whole face and the body with the same shampoo used for his dogs and to wear a medical mask every day. Sometimes Sakura even thought the world maybe self-destructed in a second when Kakashi stopped consuming medical masks.

There was a myth about Kakashi. He wore a medical mask every time he left his house under an excuse that his skin was over sensitive to the weather that a single dust could cause allergy. Sakura and Naruto, two kids who were trained days and nights by exposing to Kakashi's collection of unbelievable excuses, of course, didn't trust a single syllable in that stupid reason; not to mention, Sakura studied Medicine. That said, Kakashi always wore a medical mask, even before he adopted them, so they could only let the myth stay mysterious and accept that he at least took the mask away at home. Kakashi had a wardrobe dedicated to storing masks enough for a whole year and strictly demanded the masks he used had to be in white. Imagine you have to go to many stores to buy a lot of masks in white and take them home; everybody looks at you like you're an alien. Naruto even secretly raised a question to Sakura, "Is that the real reason why he adopted us? Doing weird things by himself looks so creepy, so having two children to share the weird things will make him less creepy." But Naruto's question never had an answer. They had to take turns to buy masks for him, had to be bathed with the same shampoo he used for his dogs, had to wait like two stupid dogs waiting for their owner in front of the school gate because he was late, had to stay away from his bookshelf as far as possible, and had to play some games that they didn't know why they had to play. Kakashi was a lazy father that after years passing by, they questioned whether he adopted them, or they adopted him.

Sakura sent back a reply that she already wrote a memo and would buy for him before the last mask was used. Opening the calendar to note it down, she slid off her bed, ready to meet Yoko. Today they planned to watch a movie, have lunch, and take a walk around the shopping mall later.

Yoko usually sent messages to her to update her relationship with Itachi, such as having dinner and tea together, strolling around the garden, and some gestures full of care from Itachi. Sakura indeed was very happy for them; according to what Yoko said, she guessed divorce was never to happen, so it would be wonderful if they got along well with each other. She really hoped that Yoko fought for her love and that Itachi accepted and found his peaceful home.

2.

After watching a romantic movie, they went to a restaurant to have lunch as planned. It was located on the top of a building with a spacious view, huge picture windows through which the customers could see the ominously solitary and genuine snow-covered mountain, elegant decoration in warm colours, and light relaxing background music. The wooden tables were placed far away from each other; on them were a glass vase with Winchester Cathedral roses. 

Sakura loved flowers with all her heart, and no matter who complained to her that flowers were not practical since they would wilt in the end, Sakura still found it the most beautiful lovable gift in the world. There was time she wandered in the bookstore with Kakashi. She was eight or nine years old back then. Kakashi took her and Naruto to the bookstore to wait for his favourite Icha Icha Paradise out. The bookstore had an outdoor garden for serving drinks, so he took them out there waiting. Kakashi told her she could have a look around whether she loved anything, and Naruto complained about why Kakashi didn't say something the same to him. Her little old man said in a blatant display that Naruto didn't like reading books. On that day, Sakura found a book called "Encyclopedia of Plants & Flowers", which was very thick and heavy with colour pictures and a colouring book enclosed. She had seen the preview version of this book online; it was very intriguingly beautiful and informative. Sakura nearly screamed out, but she covered her mouth with her hand in time. She turned the book to look for the price at the back cover. Damn expensive! Hence, Sakura immediately put it back to the bookshelf as though she had touched fire, burnt by it, but Naruto, who was walking behind her, took it out again.

"What are you doing, Naruto?"

"You like this book," determinedly stated the fact Naruto.

"Uh."

"Why don't you buy it?"

"It's expensive and…not necessary."

Naruto looked at the book in his hands for a while, pondering. All of a sudden, he turned away and ran towards Kakashi.

"Can we buy this one, Kakashi?" Naruto put the book on the table so suddenly with a great force that the table trembled; a mind-wandering Kakashi only saw a flashing light shooting towards him and heard a banging sound, scaring the hell out of him.

"Your little father has a very fragile heart, Naruto," Kakashi held his chest.

"Can we buy this one?" Naruto repeated his question, not caring a single word from his little father.

Kakashi looked at the book and shifted his focus to Sakura who was standing behind Naruto.

"Okay."

"Yay!!!"

"But," Sakura worriedly said, "the book is very expensive."

Kakashi was about to explain to his easily freaking out adopted daughter that he had enough money to invest for his children, that he had to have financial proof to adopt both of them, and that he seriously considered everything to make sure he could raise them properly before making the decision. Yet, his adopted son turned to Sakura and said, "Don't worry, Sakura! He's a hopeless single man; he definitely doesn't have anyone to spend money for. His money is ours, after all."

"…"

Naruto said nothing wrong. It was basically the precise and concise version of Kakashi's prepared speech, but why did he feel his heart was smashed into pieces?! Kakashi even questioned his choice to adopt Naruto. How could his stupid innocent and lovely adopted son explain things smoothly correctly and obviously like such?! Did bathing with dogs affect his gene structure?!

When the book finally went home with Sakura, she enjoyed reading it every night. It talked about various kinds of flowers, names, meanings, plant care and growing guide, anything special about them, or even the myths and ancient stories for each from many cultures. The enclosed colouring book was illustrations of the flowers mentioned in the book printed on the paper 300gsm suitable for watercolour. To thank Naruto, she invited him to paint with her. Naruto felt this activity was boring to death, but doing boring things with his beloved family members would always be special. Later, Kakashi came back home, cooking dinner for them, and he joined the colouring activity with them while Naruto rambled from heaven to earth. The final paintings were always so ugly that even Pakkun looked down on them. Yet, Sakura kept everything, never once throwing any of them away.

Sakura smiled to herself, caressing the petal of the Winchester Cathedral rose. This type of British rose was famous for its snowy white blooms and strong old rose fragrance with hints of honey and almond blossom. It must be very expensive since its blooming season was from spring to summer. Here was the end of autumn. Such kind of flowers at this time must be pretty expensive. It could be grown in the greenhouse under stringent quality standards about water and temperature or imported from somewhere far away from here by plane. Flowers after cut only had 50% life, so to preserve their freshness during the delivery cost a lot. Sakura indeed enjoyed it, but after all, she was a messy woman who bought flowers and fruits following their seasons and loved putting flowers into the vase randomly, which Itachi once commented it had a distinctive style and taste.

"It has a personal taste."

"Is it a way to comfort a messy me?"

"No," Itachi smiled, explaining. "Anything that comes from you yourself will always be distinctive and unique. Imitating the trending style just causes loss of essence and lack of energy no matter how beautiful it looks."

"So being messy is okay," Sakura playfully concluded.

"So you like Naruto's room?"

"No," she protested, "it's…a different kind of mess."

Yoko was a mild elegant lady as always. She knew many beautifully luxurious places like this, which was admirable under Sakura's point of view. Sakura could accept things exceptionally well. She enjoyed beautiful things but at the same time never lost herself into them. She knew where she belonged. Who doesn't love beautiful things? The problem was who controlled whom. Clothes were created to serve humans, but now many people let clothes control them. Sakura could enjoy these shiny things, but she knew very clearly that she could continue to enjoy her life even without them. She just needed a job, a small house to sleep at night and shelter her from the rain and the cold, food to fill the stomach, and if allowed, to stay with the man she loved. If their financial status were good enough, and they had time, giving birth to a child and building a little family under warm yellow daylight and the stary sky would be great.

Yoko was such an elegant mild lady, enjoying things with refined taste which Sakura could never match. Sakura loved Yoko's slim figure and graceful gesture with a kind personality, and hence she enjoyed talking with her as if it was a rare chance to relax in a luxurious glass castle. She thought she was a mess after all, and thankfully those around her accepted her as who she was. Kakashi was patient with two messy children, one loved shouting, one loved freaking out; her biological father bought sweets for her and always supported her choices; Itachi encouraged her to walk on her own feet, patiently attentively listening to her confusion towards the future; Naruto freaked out with her and did stupid things to make her smile; Sasuke could have simply called someone to buy her flowers, but he accepted to follow her to the traditional market where a person who would rather use the money to avoid the crowd and noise like him hated. 

Sakura took a deep breath, trying to absorb the exquisite fragrance into her lung. She thought she would never be fed up with flowers, and she always felt very calm when being around them. It seemed people who loved her knew that, so when she called her father to tell him she would visit the Senju manor, Tobirama would prepare some fresh flowers in her room. Sakura was a girl who wore her heart on her sleeve; everyone could see what she liked and disliked, but to see what made her calm down was another matter. Tobirama could see it; so could Sasuke, Itachi, and Kakashi. Naruto couldn't see it, but he bought flowers for her simply because he thought she would be happy to see them. Just like when they were in the primary school, some girls bullied Sakura, but well, she was a child of the Chief of Police anyway, so Sakura hit them back. When Naruto and Sasuke ran to her with the teacher, their focuses were different. Sasuke asked her whether she felt hurt as her face was swollen while Naruto asked her who made the mess on her beloved hair. Naruto was simple. Sakura loved flowers, so he bought flowers for her. Sakura loved her hair, so making her hair like a mess was a big problem. It wasn't wrong, just a different kind of care, another type of notice. The love Naruto gave her was the innocent clumsy one, which was unconditional and complete. The love that other men gave her was the meticulous considering one, which was deep and silent. She couldn't ask for more. 

Be grateful, Sakura. For all the things you've got.

"You like these flowers," Yoko remarked very calmly. This was not a question. It was an affirmative sentence with confidence.

"Uh," Sakura smiled. "I always love flowers. When I was a child, I even used the balcony to grow flowers, collected the empty wine bottles to fill them with water and put flowers into them, hanging them on a thread on the wall."

"Sound very cute," Yoko smiled. "You must have treated them as a treasury."

"Of course," Sakura excitedly said, clapping her hands, "in our house, there were some rules. Never stay close to Kakashi's bookshelf; never touch Naruto's ramen cups; never break Sakura's bottles of flowers."

"Hahaha," Yoko laughed. "How many flowers were enough for you?"

"Never enough," Sakura happily said, pointing to the flowers in front of her, "but that said, mine was not these kinds of flowers. They were cheap ones sold in bundles and wrapped in old newspapers in the market; mostly the sellers are normal gardeners, some flowers were even damaged and crushed due to careless delivery. But I love them, though. I was a child back then. Kakashi gave us pocket money, and I had to consider a lot about whether to buy sweets or flowers."

"You can buy these flowers now," Yoko took a sip of her lemon juice. "You have Sasuke."

"Huh? Which role does Sasuke play in this story?"

"He's your husband."

"Ah, I got it. You mean he can buy these flowers for me as a gift, right?" Sakura showed Yoko she understood and happily started to tell her story, giggling. "He's a boring man, after all. Let me tell you, to live with Sasuke, just simple drag him to the market and drag him back home like the most expensive flower in the town is more realistic."

"Why do you still go to the market?" Yoko suggested. "There are many flower shops these days specialised in flower designs."

"I do come there to buy flowers, of course," Sakura smiled brightly. Yoko was a patient listener, and she loved it. Not all people were engaging in flower buying topic. "But the atmospheres between markets and flower shops are different. I enjoy them both. The market gives me a sense of hospitality, whereas flower shops tend to be more professional. But cheap flowers are what the flower shops usually don't have. They are cheap, but it doesn't mean they aren't beautiful. You can try putting pennywort in a bowl of water and some liquid fertiliser. They grow very fast and look very fresh and revitalising."

"I'll try," Yoko smiled.

"I think the only difference now is that I can buy more expensive flowers in the market, like peonies last week. Hope that Sasuke comes back and we'll have time to buy another kind of flowers soon."

"Huh?" Yoko asked. "Sasuke is not here?"

"Uh," Sakura nodded, tilted her head. "He leaves for a month. Business trip. You know."

"Hm…"

"What's the matter, Yoko?"

"I just…wonder," Yoko pondered, "you don't worry that he will have someone?"

"It's impossible!" Sakura laughed.

"Huh?"

"He's scared of being annoyed!" Sakura blushed, lowering her voice, telling Yoko as if she was revealing the most unbelievable truth.

"Huh?"

"Just joking," Sakura smiled happily. "I'm his wife. I trust him."

"Don't you feel lonely?"

"Hm…," Sakura quietly thought for a few minutes, then nodded slowly, "sometimes. But my life is not just around him, Yoko. I have my colleagues, my fathers, my friends, my patients. Not to mention, he is the one who leaves this country where mostly everything dear to him stays here. If I feel lonely, Sasuke must feel the same."

"But if someone feels lonely too long, one tends to find another one, Sakura."

"Just like the movie we've just seen?"

"Uh."

"Hm… If Sasuke loves another one, he will tell me."

"Then?"

"Maybe a divorce," Sakura frowned.

"Things are not as simple as what you think, Sakura."

"Then? Committing adultery is a better choice? I indeed don't like that movie, Yoko."

"Why?"

"I don't like the ending and the director's philosophy."

"Huh?"

"Normally, in many books I have read, if anyone commits adultery, that person usually doesn't end with the one involved in that relationship. Those extramarital affairs are mostly without love; maybe because of feeling lost, or the authors want to teach readers to understand the unfortunate fates and seed the compassion message. But that movie is shallow. It tried to make those two innocent."

"The movie wants to spread the message of love, Sakura," Yoko explained. "That love is powerful."

"I don't think so, Yoko," Sakura shook her head, taking a sip of her strawberry juice. "If the main male character doesn't love his spouse anymore, and neither does the female lead's role, why don't they tell their spouses the truth and divorce?"

"Things are complicated," Yoko mildly explained. "They're suffering and don't know how to expose the truth to their spouses."

"I don't see that in that movie, Yoko," Sakura insisted on her ideas. "I only see they're proud to find their loves and never once feel guilty. While enjoying his wife's taking care of his house and his parents, giving him a facade of a responsible and successful man, he stayed with another woman without shame."

"But that's love, Sakura," Yoko explained. "In that movie, the wife doesn't understand him, and he feels lonely. He loves another woman who understands him, Sakura. Do you notice that the wife is too jealous and tries to harm that woman?"

"Then why do they not divorce?" Sakura insisted.

"Things aren't simple like you think."

"Like what?" Sakura, a good student under the tutelage of Uchiha Sasuke about divorce, argued. "They don't have any child. Making the wife look bad isn't convincing enough to extenuate or excuse him of his committing adultery."

"But you see, if he divorces, his parents who are fond of his wife will make a mess. If the main female character divorces, she may face the scandal in her career."

"Then it's not because of love. It's because of they themselves only," Sakura continued her argument. "If love is important to them that much, why don't they choose to face the potential difficulties in return for being together?"

"People can't make decisions like what you're arguing, Sakura," Yoko looked at Sakura like looking at a naive child. "There are many things to consider. Life is not as easy and as simple as what you think."

"I don't think so, Yoko," Sakura shook her head. "I know love is unpredictable and changeable, but it is also selfless. Love is a beautiful word. It's pure, but humans just love to defame it. They use it as an excuse for their actions. I love you, so I control you. I love you, so I trick you into sleeping with me. I love you, so I tell a lie to you to possess you. Because of love, I throw away my responsibility and hurt other people. As long as they use love as an excuse, it's like the world must forgive and understand their actions. Love is pure and selfless, but people use it to cover for their selfishness. That's not love. Or if it is, it's not the love for anyone, but just self-love. How can they enjoy their happy ending while trampling and crushing on the pain they create for their spouses in that movie? Happiness built on other people's sorrow under cover of love is disgusting, Yoko."

"You're too innocent, Sakura."

"You have told me that sentence many times, Yoko," Sakura earnestly confessed. "I don't know. Maybe you're right. I treat this world in a quite simple way. I did ask my father about it when visiting him recently."

"Huh?"

"I asked him whether I was too naive, and he said yes."

"You see," Yoko laughed.

"But he said it was okay, Yoko."

"Huh?"

"He told me he had seen many lies in his life, and he was fed up with them. He told me it was tiring to talk with someone but still had to be cautious because that person was potentially telling lies or was trying to trick him. My father said I was naive, and he was okay with that. He told me he rather talked with someone simple and didn't need to stay alert all the time. He said that he felt relaxed when talking with me. I think just like you and me, Yoko. I tell you everything, and you also sincerely tell me everything. It's very relaxing."

Yoko took a sip of her lemon juice.

"Hanging around with some people who conceal themselves in falsehood with deceitful words is terribly unlucky."

Yoko took another sip of her lemon juice.

"I always feel I'm lucky, Yoko," Sakura childishly smiled. "Everyone around me loves me and treats me with all their hearts, just like I got to know you. I feel very very lucky. You are kind and very truthful. It's lucky to know someone like you, not worrying about liars."

Yoko took a big sip of her lemon juice.

"So, you just let Sasuke go if he loves someone else?"

"Then what should I do? Living with him and torturing each other to death?" Sakura explained. "Before I got married to him, my father told me very seriously to leave him if one of us doesn't love each other anymore. He was very serious in this matter, though. He warned me that he could accept anything except that I tortured myself."

"Warned?"

"Uh," Sakura explained and showed her confusion at the same time. "He told me he would accept and support my choices as long as I was happy and independent. But if I torture myself, he will somewhat interfere in my life. My father is very scary when he's serious. My mom died, so I even had to receive another lecture from my aunt before marriage. That night's atmosphere was extremely heavy."

"Your father really loves you," Yoko faintly smiled.

"Of course," Sakura found back her mood. "He bought many books and sweets for me. You know, medical books are costly…hm…sweets mostly he ordered somewhere I don't really know, but the taste is unique. He keeps the address secret and treats me like a child that he told me if I wanted to have my sweets, come to work or come back the Senju manor. Every day if I go to work on time, there will be a bottle of sweets on my desk waiting for me."

Yoko became silent.

The silence was quite long and turned to be awkward.

Sakura suddenly noticed she was talking like showing off and invisibly judging Yoko's life. At least she thought so because of Yoko's sudden silence. How could she be so insensitive? Yoko's marriage life was without love, and she talked about divorce and torture. She even insisted on divorce topic through the conversation. Is Yoko trying to argue for herself that divorce is not simple? Sakura thought, and she was confused. Yoko's father exchanged her for power, and she talked about her beloved father, who cared for her little by little. Is that what Yoko is trying to tell her? And why…why did she feel she was torn between Yoko and her belief? She really wanted to run back home and ask Sasuke. But her most expensive tomato wasn't here now. What made Yoko try her best to cling on her marriage? She loved Itachi. Of course, she was different from the couple in the movie! They still had new days to try with each other, whereas the couple in the movie already committed adultery and lived under the excuse of love to make what they did look glorious. Maybe that's it! They just went too far from the topic and argued based on divorce. But Yoko's silence engulfed the atmosphere around them in heavy and gloomy feeling. Somehow, she hurt Yoko.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh? Why did you say sorry?" Yoko laughed it off.

"I…"

"Nothing," Yoko gently said. "Nothing serious, Sakura. We're enjoying sharing our stories, right? You listen to my story, and I listen to yours. I'm happy to hear you happy, Sakura. Just a bit…hm…jealous when thinking back my situation. But," Yoko took a deep breath and smiled, sincerely said, "I indeed have to thank you. Without your suggestion, I would never have a chance like this now. I'm getting along with Itachi very well now."

"Really?" Sakura asked timidly since she hadn't recovered from what had happened, so she was careful with her words now.

"Uh," Yoko smiled happily, recalling what she had done these days. "Recently he allowed me to go to his company and bring my home-made lunchbox for him. Although I can't stay there with him, his permission for me to enter his office is a gesture of accepting me."

"Why can't you stay there with him?" Sakura asked. "It's appropriate, though. You two are husband and wife."

"Hm…," Yoko thought for a while before answer, "Itachi is very busy, Sakura. Sometimes I came and noticed he still had some meetings or discussions with his staff, and I had to wait until everything was finished to give him my lunchbox. Every time like that, I felt quite worried. Food all turned cold, but Itachi still ate it. He really appreciated my lunchbox. He told me it would be better for me to have lunch before coming to his office. Also, it turned out to be quite awkward if I looked at him while he was eating."

"Haha," Sakura laughed. "Was he blushed?"

"I didn't notice," Yoko timidly smiled like a little girl got accepted from her crush after confession. "I only know that he accepts me, Sakura. I've never thought that it can be such a good beginning."

"He's a kind person," Sakura explained, "so if you're kind to him, he will give you back twice as much as what he receives."

"I have to admit Itachi is the gentlest man I've known in my life," Yoko continued. "He cares even the smallest detail. We're spending more time together, and the more I stay with him, the more I love him. He's very very gentle."

"Itachi is a good man," Sakura proudly stated. "100%."

Yoko nodded, happily shared her thought, "Every time I think of him, I always imagine our future child. It will be very adorable to have a small Itachi."

"Of course!" Sakura excitedly said. "You know, my aunt Mito told me that when a woman loved a man so much, she would dream of giving birth to a child for him. It's like…hm…creating a little family."

"She said it right," Yoko nodded, said in a vague, low, and nostalgically soft tone. It stretched like a river long, crossing to the other unreachable side of the world. "I always dreamt of a day when I could have a little family with him. We would live in a castle, and our child would be the prince. It sounds so delusional, right?"

"Of course, no," Sakura shook her head, expressing her disagreement promptly, "I don't see anything delusional there. It's happy to think of, and it's possible also. You can try, Yoko, like what you're doing now. Just try."

"I know," Yoko put a soft warm smile on her face, looking deep into Sakura's eyes, "I'm trying, Sakura. I'm trying."

After lunch, they walked around the mall again, chatting about clothes and shoes. It was a windy and cloudy afternoon. Cold days with sunlight were delightful; without the sun, everything seemed pale like an early morning when the sun hadn't risen yet, yet it was suitable for mingling in the crowd to light up the atmosphere.

"Sakura," Yoko brightly suggested, "why don't we go to the flower market? Is it opened today?"

"Huh?!" Sakura surprisedly looked at Yoko.

"You like it, right? I think we can change a bit of our plan," Yoko excitedly explained. "I'm kind of fed up with shopping mall now, and I haven't been there before. Why don't we go there? I want to experience the feelings you once described."

"Really? You really want to go to the flower market with me?"

"Of course," Yoko smiled. "We're friends, right? You have spent time shopping with me many times, so now let me go to your favourite place! We can share what we love with each other."

"Yoko! You're such an amazing friend!"

So they took a taxi to Sakura's favourite flower market. Sakura was exhilarated, having been rambling the whole way since she stepped into the market. Yoko mostly didn't say anything, simply kept a curve on her lips, sometimes commented here and there. The flower market was very big, always provided new flowers each day. Some might be on sell today but never be seen tomorrow. They walked a very very long way. They walked and walked. Sakura rambled and rambled. It seemed they explored the whole market. Yoko looked tired. Sakura asked her whether she wanted to go back home. Yoko smiled and softly told Sakura that it was alright. She just felt a bit cold. Yoko started to light the atmosphere up, and they continued to walk. But Yoko's face looked so pale, and finally, she stopped walking. Sakura felt something abnormal and asked Yoko whether she was okay with a concerned look. Yoko faintly told her she had cramping, and all the thing Sakura saw next was blood running down Yoko's leg, dripping down her shoe, to the ground.

3.

Shizune came to the hospital, walking at the maternal ward just to accidentally see a familiar figure sitting on the stainless hospital waiting chair.

"Sakura, why are you here?"

Sakura lifted her head; eyes reddened, "Shizune?"

"Why did you cry?" Shizune worriedly asked, then looking at Sakura's abdomen. "You…"

Sakura shook her head slightly and slowly as if her head was too heavy to move to imply that what Shizune was thinking of was not the case. Shizune frowned, taking a seat next to her, putting her hand on Sakura's shoulder, "Then tell me, what made you cry?"

"My friend…she…she…had a miscarriage when walking with me in the flower market," she faintly said, "she was feeling unwell, but I didn't notice. I just rambled here and there while she had to walk with me for a very long time."

"Which trimester?"

"First."

"Did you know she was pregnant?"

Sakura shook her head, staring at the ground.

Shizune didn't say anything for a while, merely embracing Sakura in her arms. Then she kept her hands on Sakura's shoulders, "It's upsetting. But Sakura, it's not your fault. You don't have to feel guilty about it."

"But…"

"Walking doesn't cause miscarriage," calmly said Shizune. "You learnt it."

"I know."

"You can't prevent miscarriage if it is about to happen."

"I know."

"So why do you have to feel guilty?"

"I don't know. I think I could have done something, but I couldn't."

"Can you prevent chromosomal abnormalities?"

"No…"

"Sakura, if you want to do something for her, be supportive. She needs someone by her side," Shizune calmly advised. "Where is she now?"

"Already left the hospital with her mom."

"Where is her husband?"

Sakura pressed her lips as tight as she could, not saying a single word. Shizune patiently waited for Sakura, but there was no response.

"Sakura," Shizune seriously said. "Remember. First, it's not your fault. Stop blaming yourself. Second, it's her personal issue."

Sakura nodded, saying nothing. She still stared at the ground.

"Okay," Shizune tapped on Sakura's shoulders, breathing out, "stand up and go back home. Have a rest."

Another nod.

Shizune sighed. "I'll drive you home. Stand up, Sakura."

Sakura stood up following what she had been told, looking like she was trying to make some robotic movements. Shizune held Sakura's hand and guided her to the parking lot like a mother and her little child, for fear that her child would be lost in the crowd.

Shizune knew that Sakura understood what she had said, or precisely, Sakura already had learnt about that years ago. But like other people, knowing something didn't mean understanding it; understanding something didn't mean being able to apply it in real life. Sakura couldn't control her feelings now; she let it wash her away; she let it drown her until breathless, although deep in her brain, she knew it wasn't her fault.

Sakura walked into the main manor's living room when Itachi coincidentally walked from the kitchen with a cup of water in his hand. Itachi could sense she wasn't right.

"What happened?"

Sakura looked at Itachi in a dazed fashion, then quickly stared at the ground, "Nothing."

"Sakura," Itachi was telling her he didn't believe what she said by calling her name.

"My friend…," timidly anxiously explained Sakura, still looking at the wooden floor, "she just broke up with her boyfriend, and she cried a lot. I can't do anything for her."

Sakura made a good move. She was infamous for wearing her heart on her sleeve; trying to hide completely was useless. She was also infamous for being unable to control her feelings, easily freaking out, easily being touch to tears, easily getting excited. She never hid her feelings; she never could. But she could cover it under another reason, just like gossips in the hospital that she had used with Sasuke.

Itachi calmly told her to rest, and the maid would bring her dinner if she needed. And he said to her, exactly the same words Shizune had once told her, "It's not your fault. It's her personal issue."

Sakura nodded then quietly walked to her room, closed the door. Her body sank into the bed, feeling as though a huge stone was thrown into the sea.

"Sakura," Yoko's painful and faint voice echoed in her head. "My baby…my baby… it's gone, Sakura."

"You still…"

"Don't say those words to me," Yoko closed her eyes, tears streaming down. "He's the only one. He will be the only one."

And Yoko cried. She cried a lot. She tried to suppress it and just made the pain more torturing and heavier. It silently and gradually enveloped the room, penetrated the smallest corners, and attacked Sakura right at the heart.

"Yoko, you need someone by your side. I'll call Itachi, okay?"

"No!!!" Yoko screamed, looking at Sakura right away after hearing her husband's name. She looked crazy and uncontrollable.

"Yoko…"

"Sakura," Yoko held Sakura's hands in hers so tight that Sakura felt hurt. "Don't call him. I can't let him know this."

"But he's the father of your child. He has the right to know, Yoko."

"Sakura, you mustn't do that. You can't, Sakura. You can't!" Yoko kept shaking her head.

"Yoko, you have to calm down," Sakura tried to calm herself down too, explaining. "Itachi won't blame you, Yoko. He is your husband. No matter what happened between you two, he is supposed to stay with you now. You two still can have another child."

"No," Yoko quickly dismissed, shaking her head vigorously again and again, just like she couldn't control her thought anymore. Yoko now looked as if she lost her rational thinking into the darkness, and now all she had was pain and pain only. She sniffed, trying to swallow her tears, "that's the reason why I don't want Itachi to know it, Sakura. Itachi… he'll be sad if he knows it, Sakura. I know he won't blame me. I…I did really hope to break the news to him; I just wanted to wait a bit. Our relationship is progressing with some kind of good foundation; if the miscarriage news is spread, it will put an invisible weight on our relationship. How can I… How can I look deep into his eyes again? How can I face him? I lost his child!!!"

"Itachi won't blame you, Yoko," Sakura assured her, reiterating her words. "Itachi won't blame you. I'm sure about it."

"No, you don't understand, Sakura," Yoko slightly and slowly shook her head with tears welled up in her eyes, one by one hitting on the bedsheet, and her voice was sometimes faint, sometimes broken, and sometimes barely a painful tearing scream. "This pain…this sorrow…just let me bear it myself. I don't want Itachi to know it. I don't want Itachi to bear it. You don't understand it, Sakura! I love him! I don't want to make him disappointed! I don't want to see him sad. I beg you! I beseech you, Sakura! Let me bear it myself!"

Sakura said nothing. Words now were stuck in her throat. Why does an elegant and kind lady have to suffer that much? Why does Yoko suffer that much? Why does she force her to suffer that much? Sakura asked herself.

No answer.

"Sakura," Yoko looked straight into Sakura's eyes, emphasised her words, "you mustn't tell him. You won’t tell him, right? Can you promise me? Can you?"

Yoko was pushed to the edge of something which Sakura couldn't discern, and she assumed that was the deep well of sorrow. Yoko needed to calm down. Yoko needed someone to stay by her side and support her. Now her emotional distress was uncontrollable, but all she said was to let her bear the pain. Every single word that Yoko told her like a needle sharply piercing her flesh and blood one by one.

"I promise you, Yoko. I won't tell Itachi."


	23. Dangle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction written by a lazy author-san.

1.

Sakura slept with Kesu and Toru to comfort and distract herself from Yoko's grief. She planned to stay in the Uchiha manor until she felt okay. At least she could hug Toru and cuddle Kesu here.

But one thing bothered her. Itachi also stayed here, and she didn't know exactly when he left. He told her he had come here a few days ago, which meant he stayed here not because of the weekend. Yoko told her she would stay in her parent's house, so maybe Itachi came back here because Yoko was not with him like Sasuke and her. This was his home, anyway. Sakura could not look straight at Itachi, but she knew he would sense something if she kept avoiding looking at him. The best solution was to stay away from the living room and the kitchen, or to be more precise, to build a nest inside her own room.

But even the nest could get attacked.

There was a knock on the door.

"Sakura."

It was Itachi's voice.

Sakura turned her guard on. And then she used her hand to hit on her head, murmured to herself, "Why did you treat Itachi like an enemy?"

Opening the door, Sakura looked at Itachi in the most natural way with all the power she could gather, "Itachi?"

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"Huh?!" she was surprised, and dismissed it right away by responsively shaking her head, "no no no."

"You have been having your meals inside your room for three consecutive days, and mom is worrying that you are feeling unwell. She told me to ask you."

"No… I'm sorry. I'll tell her myself. I'm okay."

Itachi pondered, looking deep into Sakura's eyes. Such powerful eyes penetrated her and forced her not to look away. 

"Is it because of your friend?" 

Still a very warm, caring voice.

"Uh," Sakura slowly nodded, smartly used the nod as an excuse to avoid Itachi's look. She still could feel Itachi's eyes never once left her, targeting her, and covering her, putting pressure on her from above. Or just simply because she was hiding something, so she interpreted Itachi's caring intention into threatening. Sakura was in the position of a person who kept a secret from a person she thought should have had the right to know.

"Don't get involved too much in it. She'll move on."

Still a calm, caring voice.

"Uh."

Sakura closed the door and thought seriously about everything. She couldn't do anything for Yoko, and she somewhat felt guilty, but what could she do then?

Nothing.

She had been thinking for three nights while the image of Yoko's pale face and blood dripping into her right shoe spirally haunted Sakura. Sometimes she remembered the first time she killed a laboratory mouse. It was a white-footed mouse; it was tiny in her hands. She had to press firm on its head, exactly on the base of the skull to immobilise it while holding its tail and using a quick moderate force to pull it backwards to stretch the spine of the mouse straight, causing cervical dislocation to kill it. If she hesitated or used too much force, the tail might be broken, and the mouse would face much painful life without its tail. Even some students chose to drown the mouse to death just because they couldn't master that technique. It was a humane killing skill with the purpose to separate the spinal cord from the brain so as to provide the mouse an instant and painless death. Yet, Sakura felt heavy as though a stone hung on the sewing thread tightened around her heart. And when new disease, new virus appeared, all the staff had to witness was the number of animals sacrificing for experiments increased. Just the smallest Senju lab killed at least a thousand mice a year.

Tsunade once told her: "Do you feel sad, Sakura? As a doctor, there is one thing you have to bear in mind. Don't lose your feeling. After witnessing a lot of deaths and grief, many doctors will become indifferent to them. But I want you to keep it, Sakura. You must protect it. Once you lose it, you can never feel your patients' pain anymore. I don't want you to be such a person."

Sakura sighed. But why did Yoko make her think of the first mouse she killed? All in all, like what Itachi had told her, Yoko would move on. Why could she not accept it? Was it because Yoko was her friend? Was it because Yoko was pregnant with Itachi's child, but Itachi knew nothing? Was it because a new life vanished right in front of her eyes, but she couldn't do anything? The feeling of hopelessness and uselessness engulfed her. 

Yoko evoked in her the sense of inferiority.

But why did she not feel like that when facing other patients' deaths? Because she did prepare herself for that. A doctor had to be calm when explaining a patient's case, had to learn how to break the bad news to them, had to learn how to calm them down, had to learn how to comfort them. If she could not stay calm, how could she spread calmness to her patients? She had information to prepare herself before telling the patient's family, but at the same time, she could tell her not to lose hope. But Yoko's miscarriage struck on her suddenly. Shizune thought that Sakura didn't need to feel guilty because she didn't know Yoko's pregnancy; in fact, Sakura was haunted because everything was a sudden and completely out of hand right at the moment that she was happy around the things which could calm her down the most. 

Sakura hugged Kesu, feeling its warmth. Sometimes she gave Toru scritches. These two dogs were bought to comfort her when Sasuke studied abroad, and Naruto was busy with his training sessions. Now she came back to them, feeling insecure and inferior.

Lying on the bed, wandering here and there in her own world, she looked out the window. The moon hung itself on the sky. It was tranquilly beautiful.

It seemed she remembered forgetting something.

She sprang up. 

"My goodness, I forgot to call Sasuke!"

Promptly taking out her phone, she looked at the time and then called him. Sasuke picked up the phone faster than usual.

"Finally," nonchalantly commented Sasuke.

"Huh?"

"Finally, you remembered your husband."

"You can call me instead," Sakura complained.

"I was planning to call you if you forgot your husband today," Sasuke chuckled. "Coming back to the Uchiha manor gives you a lot of fun, huh?"

"I have Kesu and Toru."

Sasuke joked, "Having Kesu and Toru, you forgot your husband for three days."

And Sakura heard something from the other side of the phone, "Mr Uchiha, you can leave the hospital as you requested now."

"Sasuke!!!"

"Don't freak out," Sasuke calmly reminded his wife by carefully pronouncing every single word.

"Where are you?!"

She even didn't care what you said.

Sasuke sighed like waving his white flag, "In the hospital."

"What happened?! You…"

"I told you not to freak out," Sasuke, now a patient in the hospital tried to calm down his wife, a doctor. "I just didn't eat properly and have had some gastrointestinal pain. I'm okay now."

"I don't trust you!" Sakura worriedly said. "I want to talk with your doctor."

"I'll take a photo of my prescription for you, okay?"

Silence.

"Sakura?"

"I'm sorry."

"Why did you say sorry?"

"If I had called to check you, you would not have ended there."

"I'm an adult," Sasuke chuckled.

"Sasuke…"

"Hm?"

"Why do you have to try that hard?" Sasuke could imagine his wife's worried countenance with her nearly-bursting-out-crying voice. "You don't need to work that hard. Come back home. Sakura will raise you."

Sasuke choked on his warm water, "I should be careful with food or drink when talking with you."

"I'm serious."

Very childish, Sasuke thought, but that statement warmed his heart.

"Just because of Kesu and Toru, you could forget me for three days," Sasuke smiled, but Sakura couldn't see her husband's smile when phoning. "How can I expect you to raise me? You might forget me in the kitchen."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm joking. Don't be so serious."

But Sasuke didn't know that now Kesu and Toru was a cover for her gossips in the hospital. He joked, but Sakura perceived it through the true faces that only she knew rather than the covers she created.

"Sasuke…"

"Hm?"

"What happens if I can't control my emotions?"

"What happened?" Sasuke sensed something suspicious.

"Just a general question."

"Sakura," seriously said Sasuke.

"Just a general question," stubbornly insisted Sakura, "I'm usually like that. It's good to find a solution. That's it."

"More specific."

"For example. I know something very clearly, but my emotions tell me something contradicting what I know. My emotions control me. I can't get rid of what my emotions tell me. Then what should I do?"

"Weigh them."

"Weigh what?"

"For example. Between gossip and your husband, which one is more important?"

"Of course, you."

"That's it. You can't control it, and somehow it is your personalities. It's hard to change, Sakura. But you can learn to live with it. If your emotions control you too much, weigh things that you have right in front of your eyes."

"Uh."

"Is there anything else?"

"No."

"I'll have to leave the hospital now," Sasuke said. "Call you later."

"You have to take medicine on time and eat properly."

"Yeah."

"Do you have anyone to drive you home?"

"My secretary."

"When you arrive home, send me a message, okay?"

"Yeah."

"You have to take photos of your meals for me, okay?"

"Yeah."

"And don't forget the prescription."

"Yeah."

And they ended the call.

And Sakura turned to cuddle Kesu, contemplating about all the things these days.

While Sakura stared aimlessly out the window, thinking of what Sasuke said, little did she know Sasuke called Itachi.

2.

The next morning, Sakura woke up early, ready to wait for her breakfast brought to her room. There was a knock on the door.

"I'm decent."

The door was opened, but she saw Itachi instead.

Where is the maid?! Sakura was terrified.

"Mom and dad already left last night," Itachi stood at the door. "Can you go to the dining room and have breakfast with me?"

"…"

"Can you?" Itachi even didn't bother raising his tone.

Sakura reluctantly nodded.

While they were having breakfast, nobody talked. Sakura finished her meal as fast as she could; she desperately wanted to flee from the dining room and drive to her beloved hospital. Once she put down her chopsticks and was about to excuse herself, Itachi calmly put his chopsticks on the chopstick rest, "You forgot your orange juice."

"I don't…"

"You're not in a rush," Itachi glanced at the clock to indicate his implication.

"But…"

"Many people don't have orange juice to drink every morning."

Sakura sat in her chair, taking her orange juice, intending to drain them with a big sip. But right at the time she took a deep breath to drink it, Itachi's calm voice broke her plan effortlessly.

"Slowly drink it, or you'll choke."

"…"

"You have plenty of time."

"…"

Why does she feel Itachi is very scary today? Sakura cried for her destiny inwardly, forgetting all about Yoko's grief. 

After Sakura torturedly finished her glass of orange juice slowly and elegantly, she smartly looked at Itachi, waiting. But Sakura didn't realise that she became natural as she focused on Itachi and her own problem. She already forgot that she had to avoid him.

"How long did you plan to stay here?"

"Hm," Sakura held her hand on her cheek, looking thoughtful at the ceiling, "I don't know. But I am going to leave for Kakashi's house for one or a few days, maybe."

"If you don't have any plan except for visiting Kakashi's house, stay here."

"Huh?!"

"There is food prepared for you here," Itachi persuaded her without even trying. "And your dogs. Kesu and Toru love to have you."

"Hm…"

"Just like today, normally you will skip breakfast or eat a loaf of bread in the hospital."

"Hm…"

"I'll share my sweets with you."

"…"

"The box I sent you before."

"…"

"You don't want?"

"…"

"Only one chance."

"Okay!!!"

Itachi smiled, and thus Sakura sheepishly smiled.

"Thank you, Itachi."

"You can go to work now."

"Uh-uh."

3.

At the lunch break, Sakura bought a lunchbox from the hospital restaurant to her office. While she was enjoying her lunch and checking Sasuke's photos, her phone rang.

It was Yoko.

Yoko hadn't contacted Sakura or replied to Sakura's messages since that day. Maybe grief was so overwhelming that she didn't care about anything else. Silence sometimes was the sharpest weapon since it cut things invisibly gradually and slowly without blood or scar.

But Yoko was calling Sakura now. As a good friend who craved to know her friend's situation, Sakura put her chopsticks down and reached out her hand to take the phone.

But her door was opened suddenly. The nurse puffed and panted, calling her, "Dr Haruno, the patient at room 304 suddenly has a seizure."

Her phone was ringing and ringing. Weigh things, huh? In the hospital, her patients were number one. Even Sasuke or Itachi made no difference. She had her responsibility here; she could only save the lives right in front of her. To a doctor, every life was equally valuable; she held lives in her hands; she couldn't selfishly and irresponsibly exchange one for another. She could be famous after curing for a president, but did it mean other lives were less important? Shisui said nothing wrong. She wouldn't stop doing her job just because of the lack of acknowledgement. She did her job with all her heart because it was her job. Her job was to deal with lives, and even the pain her patients' families would have to bear. Sakura didn't need to consider the weights. She quickly stood up and ran with the nurse.

The phone was vibrating on the desk. The phone was ringing like screaming and pushing.

But no one picked it up.

It must be the first time Yoko called Sakura, but there was no response.

4.

Sakura called Yoko back after work, but no one picked the phone up. It made her worry. She called Yoko three more times, and again there was no response. Was it anything important? Did anything happen to Yoko? Sakura felt her stomach was burning because of worry.

Later, Yoko called Sakura, telling Sakura that she had just gone out with her mom to relieve her dull feelings. She said that there was nothing important in the afternoon call and explained that it was just a call to apologise for her impoliteness of not replying Sakura's messages. 

Just that's it.

And then Sakura didn't receive any call from Yoko again. 

At midnight of the tenth day since Yoko's miscarriage, when Sakura was trying to sleep with Kesu and Toru on her bed, her phone rang. The two dogs woke up; they looked very disturbed and annoyed. Sakura crawled out of bed to take her phone. Yoko was calling her. 

It was one o'clock in the morning now. 

"Yoko?"

But she heard nothing except for noise. People's laughter, chatting, the music, and the sound of glasses touching each other imbued the phone.

Sakura frowned, worried called Yoko, "Yoko? Are you there?"

"Saaakuuraaa…," a drunk Yoko slurred. "Comeee here, drink with-ith mee."

"Yoko? Where are you now?!"

"Hm…"

"Yoko???"

Yok laughed, "I-I don't reallyy know-ow. But it's fun, Sakura. It's fun."

"Is there anyone next to you?" Sakura paced back and forth in her room, worriedly ask.

"Hm…"

She heard the sound of wine pouring into a glass, then the sound of the glass bottle placing on the table. And the noise.

"Yoko?! Where are you?!"

"No one cares for me, Saaakuura," Yoko suddenly sobbed.

"Yoko? You have me!"

"Stay awayyy from meee," Yoko irritably commanded.

"Yoko…"

"Drinking alone is not fun, right?" A man voice entered the phone. "Let me drink with you."

"I told you-ou," Yoko annoyedly said, "stay away from me-e."

The man laughed, hoarsely slowly said, "A beautiful lady shouldn't drink alone."

There was some silence.

"Yoko?" Sakura was terrified. "Yoko!"

"Wait…," Yoko laughed, "I scared him away! Am I amazing?"

"Yoko," Sakura worriedly advised, "you should leave there. It's not safe."

"It's nothing," Yoko made herself sound persuasive. "My friend-dd is a patron here. She introduced me to this-is. Nothing-ing to worry, Sakura."

"Where are you now?"

No reply.

"Yoko!!!"

No reply.

"Yoko!!!"

"Hi," a stranger's sound talked, "I'm the bartender. She is drunk and just fell asleep. Can you come here and pick her up? We only have the policy to call a cab for patrons here."

"Where is it?"

"At the Deity Bar."

"I'm sorry," Sakura said, "may I know the address?"

"If it is your first time to come here, I suggest you take a cab here. The driver will know this place much better than you. It isn't located in the city's downtown; you might get lost."

Still, the bartender told her the address, and Sakura quickly got dressed and grabbed her winter coat, purse, phone, and calling herself a taxi.

Weigh things, huh? Between Yoko's safety and her sleep, Yoko's safety unquestionably was more important!!!

At midnight, the Uchiha manor's security guard saw a small figure running towards the gate like a duck. He thought his eyes had problems.

"My young lady, may I ask what I can help you?"

"I need to go somewhere."

"It's midnight."

"I'm an adult!" Sakura didn't have time to talk with him. "Will you prevent Sasuke from leaving here?!"

"Of course not," the security guard dismissed quickly. "How can I dare to forbid Master Sasuke?"

"What about Itachi?"

"Mister Itachi is the heir."

"So, what are you doing now?" A C in Debate argued.

"I…"

The security guard might have an F in Debate.

"You look down on women, right?"

"No…"

Definitely an F!

"I'm coming back here not to be jailed," Sakura said and smartly created an excuse. "Do you know I am a doctor?"

"Yes, my young lady."

"My patient is waiting for me! Emergency case! Get it???"

"…"

"Will you take responsibility if anything happens???"

The security guard immediately told the gatekeeper to open the gate for Sakura. The taxi had already waited for her out there.

The security guard looked at Sakura's figure disappearing into the car, and the vehicle rolled its wheels, murmured, "Should I report this to the butler?"

5.

When Sakura arrived at the bar, she hurriedly walked through the turbulent crowd filled with laughter to find Yoko. This bar was spacious and decorated in an uncannily unique style with squares and triangles. On the ceiling were paper butterflies in different sizes. Yoko was sleeping at the bar counter. Sakura could smell the alcohol from Yoko. Did she drink that much after a miscarriage? Did she still want her life? Sakura tapped on Yoko's shoulder.

"Yoko?"

"Yoko?"

"Yoko?"

"Hm…"

"Yoko?"

"Hm…"

Sakura sighed. 

Anyway, take her out of here first! She felt unsafe here.

Sakura paid for Yoko, took Yoko's phone and put it into Yoko's bag, and then put her arm over her neck, walked her out of the bar. She let Yoko sit on the bench on the pavement near the bar and took out her phone to call a taxi. And she realised one serious problem. She didn't know Yoko's parents' house's address. She couldn't take her back to the Uchiha manor since Itachi was there. And she had to go back to the Uchiha manor before Itachi woke up lest he worry. She also needed some rest to work tomorrow! She couldn't stay by Yoko's side all night long while an intoxicated person shouldn't be left alone. Sakura felt her brain was overloaded these days, functioning here and there. The number of excuses she had made outnumbered those of all the years in the past altogether. Yoko gave her a precious chance to outwit the intelligent combo — Itachi, Shisui, and Sasuke. Should she feel lucky she didn't have to try her excuse with her father?

Sakura tried to wake Yoko up, but Yoko didn't show any sign of gaining back her consciousness. Sakura sighed and murmured to herself, "Is it okay to take her back the Uchiha manor?"

At the right time after Sakura finished her self-questioning, Yoko drowsily woke up.

"Yoko!" Sakura happily exclaimed. "Finally."

"Who are you?"

"It's me! Sakura!"

"Sakura? Why areee you here?" Yoko's eyes even couldn't focus on Sakura, wandering somewhere incomprehensible. "Hm…you come to drink with me, right-ight?"

"Yoko, you drank a lot. We have to leave here."

"I-I don't wanna go! Drink! Sakuraaa! Drink! Drink…"

Then she fell asleep again. Sakura tapped her shoulder a few more times.

"Yokooo."

"Hm…"

"Wake up!"

"Hm…"

When Sakura got puzzled, Yoko's phone rang. She saw the name on the screen: Nami. The light finally shined on her, Sakura happily thought. Nami was a friend of Yoko's; she heard that name many times. 

She picked up the phone.

"I'm sorry, Yoko can't answer the phone right now."

"Who are you?" Nami had a lovely sweet voice.

"I'm Sakura. Yoko's friend."

"Huh? Why can't Yoko answer?"

"She's drunk," Sakura explained. "You're Nami, her best friend, right? Can you come here to pick her up? I can't stay with her."

"Okay," Nami promptly said. "But where are you?"

"Hm…the Deity Bar, do you know where it is?"

"Ah," Nami nonchalantly remarked. "I'm a patron there. Don't worry. I'll be there in 20 minutes. Wait for me in front of the bar."

"Thank youuuuu."

"No problem. She's my friend. I'll end the call."

"Okay."

Men and women came and went. This place didn't have the concept of night. Sakura silently sat there, waiting in the cold. She took off her coat and wrapped it around Yoko. 

Some men coming out of nowhere approached her, "Two beautiful ladies are sitting in the cold. Do you want to go inside with us?"

Sakura felt annoyed and alert, "Thank you. I'm waiting for my friend."

One of the men stepped closer, touching Sakura's shoulder, "We can have fun together."

Sakura responsively moved her body backwards to avoid his hand, "Thank you. I'm good."

He laughed and turned around to look at his friends, "See? This kitten is savage! I won the bet." All of them burst out laughing. A thin man in the group remarked, "But you are rejected by a kitten. Shame!" All of them roared with laughter again. Another man loudly said, "You're not gentle enough, so kitten won't like you. Such kind of kitten looks obedient but needs some pieces of training."

And he put his hand to touch Sakura's cheek. This time Sakura turned her head away and at the same time slapped his hand away, "Take your dirty hand away from me."

Those men became serious. 

"She said we were dirty; did I hear it wrong?"

"I hate these kinds of girls the most; coming here and acting like they are noble and virtuous."

"I'll give you two choices, kitten. One: Go with us to the bar and drink some tequilas. Two: We'll do something else. This bar has a rule that they won't interfere with anything happening outside. Just a friendly reminder."

"I told you," Sakura held Yoko tight in her arms, "I'm good."

"This kitten needs a bit of training."

He reached out his hand again, but Sakura held his wrist, looking straight at them, murmured, "The Chief of Police never let his daughter feel defenceless, and being a doctor, one must understand the musculoskeletal system."

And she twisted it. The man screamed painfully.

But this only triggered the men.

Sakura let Yoko sleep on the bench, stood up, and fought. It had been a long time since the last time she used martial art. It was when she was bullied, but she didn't learn much at that time and mostly fought like a buffalo headbutting any object around. She bit a girl's arm, causing that girl to go to the hospital for a vaccine. And luckily for her, she realised these men didn't know anything about martial art. They only relied on their physical strength and number. Sakura slapped a man's face, and both she and the man screamed out of pain.

"Damn it! It hurts my hand," Sakura looked at her reddened hand, murmured to herself. "Newton's Third Law of motion: For every force in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction." So, she bent her body to take off her shoe just to realise she was wearing carpet slippers! "To avoid such law on your hand, when hitting someone you hate, use a slipper!"

And she slapped another man who was running towards her.

Panting and puffing, Sakura pointed at those men who were hit terribly right at their joints or unluckily somewhere between their legs (the simplest and most effective way sorry), "Luckily for you, my physical strength is not enough to pick up a mature Golden Retriever. As a doctor, a piece of good advice: Go to the hospital to have check-ups for your synovial joints."

Sakura walked back to Yoko and took out her own phone, "That said, such kinds of men need to have tea with policemen."

"Sakura?" Yoko, standing on the threshold of consciousness and unconsciousness, talked like she was lost in reverie.

"Yoko, it's okay. I'll protect you."

When Sakura dialled the number, Yoko suddenly jumped up and shouted, "Drink!" 

"My phone!!!" Sakura desperately exclaimed, watching her phone flying away. Yoko accidentally slapped the phone and sent it dancing on a beautiful curve in the air and gorgeously landing on the ground. 

Artistically broken.

The men dispersed themselves, staggering.

Sakura sighed, "Never mind."

And when Nami arrived, she helped Yoko get inside the car. 

Mission completed!

Now she was going back home.

But Sakura suddenly realised her phone had been broken. Who would call the taxi for her? And where was she now? The wind blew through her, singing a mourning song. Hence, after thinking hard for a while, she reluctantly walked back into the bar to find the bartender or anyone who could help her call a taxi.

"We only call for patrons, Miss," the bartender explained. "Since everything new guests might cause or might happen to them will be complained back to our system, and we don't know exactly who they are to deal with. It's troublesome."

"But I'm not drunk; I won't cause anything," Sakura tried to explain, "I'll pay for it myself."

"But I'm just staff here," the bartender said. "I don't have such rights."

"I can call a taxi for you," a strange masculine voice said from behind. Sakura turned her head, seeing him carry a bottle of wine.

Sakura felt uncomfortable when being here, trying to put a smile on her face, asked for a confirmation, "Can you?"

The man politely smiled, asked the bartender for a corkscrew and two glasses, opened the wine, poured himself a glass, drank it. Then he poured the wine into the other glass, used his index finger to push the glass towards Sakura, "You drink this glass, and I'll call one for you."

Sakura looked at the glass, didn't say anything.

"Don't worry. Nothing inside. You see, it's a new bottle."

"I'm sorry," Sakura stood up and turned away. But many men and women gathered into a circle around her. Since when? She didn't know.

"There are many people who want to drink my wine, but you refused," the man sighed. "You hurt my feeling."

Sakura clenched her fist.

"I watched your beautiful battle with some men outside," the man clapped his hands slowly. "A good fight. But the two behind you are not normal pugilists. I advise you to drink it. Don't hurt my feeling."

Sakura didn't say anything.

"Tut-tut," a familiar voice to Sakura entered the chat, "what is going on here?"

All the eyes were on where the voice came. Sakura looked towards that direction to check her hearing.

She wasn't wrong.

It was Sasori. 

"A group of men force a woman to drink wine?" Sasori smirked. "It's shameful."

"Sasori," the man frowned, "this is none of your business."

"I think you should let her leave," Sasori still didn't let his smirk disappear, playfully remarked. "This bar has a rule that everything must be done with consent, right?"

"Sasori," the man growled, "I don't have a mood to play with you today."

"Neither do I."

"I just ask this lady not to waste the wine I poured for her."

"Uh-huh?"

"We're friends, Sasori, and I don't want to break our friendship because of a woman."

Sasori still wore a smile on his face. He casually walked towards the man and stopped when they stood side by side, facing opposite directions. He put his right arm across the man's anterior neck, gritted to his left ear, "Do you know that Tobirama found his long-lost daughter?"

The man glanced at Sakura then glanced back Sasori, lowering his voice, "Is it a joke?"

"You guess?"

Damn it! The man cursed inwardly. Why did Tobirama let his daughter run to such a place? Did he do anything Tobirama considered an eyesore? He plotted a reason to punish him, right? Or lack of fun? Wanna play him, right??? 

The man laughed, "Haha. I'm joking."

He waved his hand as a sign to order people to disperse.

"Ah-hm," the man beamed, "this lady… I'm just playing with you. No bad purpose or bad intention."

Sakura stepped a step backwards.

"Okay," Sasori dismissed. "I'll take her home."

And then Sasori grabbed Sakura's wrist, "Little time bomb, come with me."

The man looked at Sakura's figure vanished into thin air, cried inwardly. I am such a good civilian doing illegal things with morality code, he thought. How could I be so unlucky that the first time I decided to play a bit and met Tobirama's daughter?!!! In the wine was nothing but pure wine. Okay, it was a very strong one. He just wanted to look at her terrified face! How could a little bunny be the daughter of a wolf?! What if Tobirama required an investigation?! He would undoubtedly hunt him! The more he thought, the more he felt frightened. He had to delete the cameras! Right! He had to erase everything!!!

Meanwhile, Sasori dragged Sakura into his car, closed the door, entered the car himself, "Tell me, where should I drive you back?"

"The Uchiha manor."

"Good! If it were the Senju manor, you walked back home yourself."

He started the engine.

"Little time bomb, to let the world safe, you shouldn't go to such places."

"I just went to pick up a friend."

Sasori sighed, "You nearly destroyed a whole business, don't you know?"

"I don't know," sincerely said Sakura.

"…"

"And I'm not a time bomb."

"You are!" 

"I don't explode."

"That's the reason why you are a time bomb," Sasori stressed on the word 'time'.

An animal ran across the road. Sasori braked.

"Are you okay?" Sasori immediately looked at Sakura. 

"I'm okay. Thank you."

"Don't need to thank me. I didn't ask because I cared for you. I care for my own life."

"Huh?"

"Why did I decide to drive a time bomb home? What happens if it explodes in my car?" Sasori murmured. "I must have eaten something poisonous."

"If you don't wanna drive me home, just call me a taxi."

"Little time bomb, don't plot me."

"I didn't."

"So, to prove it, get out of my car," Sasori deadpan challenged.

Sakura quickly took off her seat belt.

"What are you doing?!" Sasori was terrified.

"Huh? You told me to leave?"

Sasori got a headache.

"Don't you look outside?! It's brave of you to stand waiting on the empty road!"

"But you said…"

"…"

"So, should I stay or leave?"

"Stay!!!" Sasori breathed in and out, "if someday someone could kill me by making me angry to death, but I still had to tolerate everything, definitely it would be you or my grandma."

"Now I believe Sasuke will surpass Itachi," a nonchalant comment out of nowhere after a long silence from Sasori.

"Huh?"

"Sasuke must tolerate a headache every day, right?"

"Sasuke doesn't have any medical record of chronic headaches."

"Sasuke surely has a very colourful life with you."

"Of course!!!"

"Looking at lots of colours can lead to headaches."

"Huh? Is there any research about it that I don't know?"

"…" Should he answer? The Uchihas were the bravest of all; he now acknowledged it.

Finally, when Sasori could breathe a sigh of relief, stopping his car in front of the Uchiha manor to let the little time bomb get out of his car, he joked, "Little time bomb?"

"Huh?"

"Don't tell anyone Sasori drove you home."

"Don't worry," Sakura smiled. "I never want to tell anyone you drove me home."

"…"

"Thank you, Sasori."

Looking at her walking into the Uchiha manor, Sasori again admired the Uchihas of their high tolerance for this little time bomb.

His phone rang.

"Deidara?"

"Sasori," Deidara complained, "where does eternity take you? Kisame and Konan arrived."

"I'll drive back there."

"Back?"

"I just drove a time bomb back home."

"What? Bomb? Which bomb?" Deidara excitedly asked.

"…"

"An art!!!" 

"…"

"Where are you? I'll go there!"

"It's a time bomb! It doesn't explode right now."

"But it still can create a bang!"

"She just left my car," Sasori sighed. "Stay there, Deidara. This night is tiring enough."

"She?! The bomb is a she?" Deidara even became more excited. "Introduce her to me!"

"Sasuke's wife."

"What?!" Deidara exclaimed in disbelief. Sasori felt finally he found a common voice with Deidara after years of hating each other. He thought this should be treated as a historic milestone, but he heard the next sentence. "It's amazing! Sasuke inherited some of my philosophy eventually!"

"…"

6.

Meanwhile, Sakura walked to the main manor planning that she would secretly tiptoe to her room. Successful!

But she didn't notice the unspeakably complicated face of the security guard.

And she saw the living room lighted up. Sakura had a bad feeling. Itachi was sitting on the sofa; the butler stood still. The atmosphere was heavy. 

"Hi," Sakura tried to smile as brightly as she could.

Itachi sat on the sofa, scrutinised her, "Where did you go?"

"A hos…"

"I called the hospital."

"…"

"Am I that stupid, Sakura?"

"A bar."

"For what?"

"My friend's drunk. I went there to pick her up."

"Then what happened there?"

"Happened? No…nothing!"

"Who drove you home?"

"A taxi driver."

"A taxi driver drove a Porsche 911?"

"…"

"Hm?"

"Sasori."

"Sasori?" Itachi became serious. "What happened there?"

"I told you…"

"I give you a chance to tell the truth," Itachi solemnly said. "I have a thousand ways to find out what happened there, Sakura."

Yoko!!!

"I…have a little fight," Sakura raised her hand, using her thumb and index finger to picture a very small gap.

"How little?"

"Very very little."

"So, explain to me what happened with your arm?"

"Huh?" Sakura looked at her arm, and she saw bruises there. Wait? What? When??? How?!!!!

"A little fight?"

"A little…bit…big fight."

"Then?"

"Sasori drove me home."

"Is that simple?"

"It's simple."

"Where did you meet Sasori?"

"In the bar."

"I give you a second chance to tell the truth," Itachi didn't even change his calm tone, but Sakura felt hard to breathe.

"I'm telling the truth."

"The bar Sasori can go is not for children like you."

"I'm not a child!"

"Then you behave like an adult for me."

Sakura smartly gave up. Well, a wise man changes his mind sometimes, but a fool never.

Sakura told Itachi everything except for the identity of her friend. She told him she got there and successfully walked her friend out of the bar to wait for the friend of her friend's. But a group of men harassed her, and she had a little bit big fight with them. The friend of her friend's came and picked that friend up. But during the fight, Sakura broke her phone. She went back to the bar to ask for a call for a taxi, but then they played her. Sasori appeared. That was the end of the story.

Sakura did tell the truth – her version of truth. When humans perceive something, they don't perceive it precisely to what really happened. They select the details. Sakura's version was that the detail Yoko suddenly jumped up and made her phone broken was not significant. She recalled the phone only when she talked about what happened after Yoko left.

But it was the truth. She didn't lie.

And Itachi seemed calm yet angry, especially when she narrated to the cup of wine she was forced to drink. Some seconds of silence held a knife on Sakura's neck; she felt that. Itachi was very gentle; never once in her life did Sakura feel such pressure from him.

"Do you know it's dangerous for a lady to be out there at night? Without Sasori, did you imagine what would have happened to you, Sakura?"

"I'm sorry."

But it didn't help the situation.

"From now on," Itachi calmly yet authoritatively said, "there will be a chauffeur who goes with you every time you leave this manor at night."

"I disagree!" Sakura jumped up, shouted.

"I don't ask your opinion."

"Itachi! You want to jail me here, right?"

"You still can drive to work on your own. I don't jail you, Sakura."

"But the way you're doing is like you're controlling me."

"Call it whatever you want. If you want to leave the manor at night, the gatekeeper will only open the gate when you go with a chauffeur."

"I won't come back here," Sakura argued for her so-called freedom. "I'll go back to my own house. In my own house, there will be no one controlling me!"

"Okay then," Itachi casually replied. "You can leave the manor right now."

Sakura immediately stood up, but when she walked to the door of the living room, Itachi's voice slowly followed her, "Once you step out of this manor, the security guard and the butler will be fired."

Sakura turned back, looking at Itachi in disbelief.

"Why???"

"Tardy response to the situation."

"Are you threatening me?"

"Call it whatever you want."

"You can't trick me, Itachi," Sakura logically said. "You're a benevolent person. You won't do that!"

"Hm?" Itachi looked straight into Sakura's eyes, then shifted his look to the butler who was standing in the corner of the room.

"You have been working here for a long time, right?"

"Yes, Mister Itachi."

"So, you know the procedure of dealing with fired maids, right?"

"Yes, Mister Itachi."

"Do it the same for you and the security guard who is responsible for tonight's shift. Call the housekeeper to come here. She will be temporarily responsible for everything here until we hire a new butler."

The butler quietly bowed his head, withdrawing from the room.

"Itachi!!! You can't do that!"

"Hm?" Itachi coldly looked at Sakura. "What should I do?"

"You!!!"

"Is it because I treat you too well, Sakura?" Itachi didn't mind putting pressure in the room. "I'm the clan heir for a reason."

"I'll stay! I'll stay! Are you satisfied?" Sakura yelled to Itachi, going to run into her room. Sakura needed to learn a lesson that Shisui mentioned long ago: No bargain when Uchiha Itachi was serious.

"Did I allow you to leave yet?"

"You!"

"Sit down."

Sakura stood still.

"Don't I need to repeat?" Itachi sternly said. 

Sakura sat down, huffing.

"Do you know you're childish?"

"I'm not."

"So, what are you doing?"

Silence.

"Your arm."

"Huh?" Sakura lifted her head and looked confused at Itachi.

The butler entered and placed an ice pack and a towel neatly on the white porcelain tray. Itachi wrapped the ice pack in the towel and left it there on her arm.

"Leave it there 10 minutes," Itachi calmly said, "and think about your reckless action today."

Sakura stared at the towel on her arm. Itachi worried for her; he got angry. Because of worry. But why was he mad to such scary level? To Sakura, this was the first time she experienced an Itachi like this. But never could Sakura feel what Itachi had been put through. When he received the news that Sakura left the manor and understood her recklessness. When he called the hospital while he even didn't trust such an excuse. When he called her, and there was no response. When he knew she definitely did something reckless but couldn't go to drag her back. 

"Am I not allowed to care for my friend?" Sakura said her first words after a long silence, still looking down to avoid Itachi. These words were spoken in a faint little voice, mixing a bit of apologetic feeling, a bit of a child who lost the way back home, and a bit unyielding stubborn attitude. 

"No one says no."

"You did."

"When? You quote it for me."

Silence.

"Sakura, you have to think of your safety first before taking action. Don't tell me it's selfish. Behind you are Sasuke, your father, and many people who would have worried to death if anything had happened. No one prevents you from caring for your friend, but the point is that you act recklessly. You could have just simply knocked on the door and told me everything, and I would have let you leave with the chauffeur and the security guard."

"You were sleeping."

"Is it an excuse for acting recklessly?"

Silence.

"About your friend, she's an adult."

"I know."

"An adult needs to know every action costs a responsibility."

"I know."

"Her break-up doesn't mean her whole life is broken."

"I know."

"And it is her personal issue."

"I know."

"You can't do anything for her because it's personal."

"I know."

"So why do you feel guilty?"

"Huh?"

"You feel guilty, Sakura. Every word 'I know' you have said is full of guilt.”

"She's sad."

"Then?"

"I can't do anything for her."

"But she will move on."

"What happens if she doesn't?"

"Then what can you do?"

Silence.

"She has her own life. She has to take responsibility for her own life, and so do you. You can't trash your life and follow her every day."

"I know."

"You don't."

"I do!" Sakura lifted her head, arguing. Itachi didn't understand anything! She lost your child! It was your child! Your!

"Then tell me what you are doing," Itachi remained his composure but became quite solemn.

"What do you mean? Can't I be sad for her?"

"You can. But do you know what you are doing? You let her break-up affect your life, Sakura. You have your life, and she has hers. That's the point."

"You are talking like you're my father!" Sakura shouted then bit her lips and somewhat was ready for reprimand. But she noticed Itachi suddenly became quiet. He looked as though he was attacked suddenly, and he was taken aback, and deep in his eyes was a hint of hurt and something perplexed. This was the first time in Sakura's life to see a perplexed Itachi. What about the hurt? Is it true? Or did she imagine it herself? But before she had a chance to observe or said anything, Itachi gained back his composure.

"I'm not your father, Sakura."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you."

"What happened happened," Itachi said. "If being sad could solve things, many lives would be much happier and crazier. Time doesn't wait for you."

Sakura said nothing.

Her belly sang a melody of hunger.

"Think about that," Itachi sat up, turned away. "I'll make something for you."

Itachi brought a dish of sesame soba noodles back just to see Sakura already fall asleep. She had to work for a long day without rest, then ran to help her friend without sleep in the cold. It was 3:30 now. He put the dish on the table lightly, standing there looking at her.

The butler entered and silently waited for Itachi. He didn't speak a word, for fear of waking the young lady sleeping sitting up on the sofa.

"What do you think about her?" Itachi softly said.

"Young lady is very kind; talking with her feel like being refreshed."

"Innocence to those who love her is a precious gift but to those who don't can even harm her."

"Do you need me to check what really happened?"

"Don't need to; she told the truth."

The butler had been working for this clan for a long time; of course, he had to have something better and more impressive than others to remain here despite Madara's childish accusations. Even Madara, who rarely praised anyone, praised him once when he was serious. He was granted the right to recruit and fire anyone — authority over all the maids and servants here. The Uchihas trusted him, an outsider. He was always cautious of anything abnormal or involving potential threats. Recruiting new maids or servants was not only just to test their skills but also to eliminate those who were suspicious of spying this manor.

"What about her friend, Mister Itachi?"

"It's her personal relationship; don't interfere. But from now on, anything you feel abnormal must be reported to me. Don't use the normal rules in this house and apply them to her."

Itachi gently and quietly put one arm under her knees and the other one supporting her back, holding her up. While he was walking to the stairs, he heard the butler say, "Thank you, Mister Itachi."

Itachi stopped.

"For what?" 

"I know you're serious when you said that you would fire me."

Itachi said nothing.

"I know you won't fire me on a whim, but I might lose all the trust I'm having, which means I can't stay in this position anymore. Little does the young lady know that termination is the simplest punishment here. If anything had happened to the young lady, this incident could have led to an investigation. No matter how lucky it was that the young lady was safe and sound back home, my failure to carry out my duty is undeniable."

Itachi said nothing, continued to walk to the stairs.

The butler followed Itachi to open the door for him, then quietly left. Itachi carefully placed Sakura on the bed, pulled the blanket to her shoulder, took the carpet slippers off. He sighed. Rushing out of the manor without using her brain, she even didn't wear shoes. Her feet were cold.

Itachi sat beside the bed, watching her sleep for a while. The moon hanging out here sent its calming light into the room.

"I'm always talking like I'm your father, right? If you hadn't mentioned, I think I forgot. Care for you, and you complained I controlled you. Let you do anything you want, then you accused me of not caring for you, and you ignored me for a whole week. I spoilt you, Sakura."

Itachi sat up. He walked out of the room. He closed the door.

Itachi left Sakura there.

In the room.

With the moon.


	24. Who...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

1.

The more controlled one gets, the more rebellious one is.

Haruno Sakura was jailed in the Uchiha manor with a weasel and his wife. Yoko finally came to terms with her miscarriage and accepted to welcome a new stage of her life. Sakura thought Yoko could be her saviour by dragging Itachi to their own house, but her fate was so unfortunate that Itachi broke the news to her that he would stay in the manor until Sasuke came back; the only good news, Sakura thought, was that Yoko would live in the manor too. However, it turned out that hardly did she have a chance to talk with Yoko since she had to stay in the hospital on a working day. Sakura only had free time at night and the weekend, but after moving to live here, Yoko went out with Itachi every night and only returned when Sakura already slept. 

Another reason was that now Sakura was very rebellious, she would ignore Itachi at all costs. In fact, she could chat with Yoko at this weekend if she tried; yet, what a pity that now Sakura desperately ached to fight for her freedom, only obsessed with a glorious escape. While some prisoners used the time in jail to contemplate about their mistakes, others spent those time drawing a jaw dropping prison break play. Sakura, a troublemaker who did both at the same time, lingering between her most basic right, freedom and her apologetic feelings towards Itachi, chose to leave for Kakashi’s house as planned. Somewhere inside her brain rooted a seed of an unknown plant which hadn’t been germinated yet, with a strong belief that Itachi would always be a man of magnanimity, especially towards her. Innocence always went with heartlessness. It was luscious yet poisonous. Sakura was mischievously enjoying a winter banquet made of the heart of a man who deemed it pleasurable to bear.

On the second night after the order issued from Itachi started to take effect, she called Sasuke to find an ally by condemning Itachi of jailing her, but her husband showed no surprise, no anger. Sasuke asked her only one question: "What did you do?", and Sakura told him she just ran to a bar and had some problems there. 

"That’s it?"

"Of course!" 100% confident answer from Sakura.

"How could you pass your exams with such a bad memory, Sakura? Don’t I need to retell the story to strengthen your memory?"

"..."

Okay, she got it. Itachi, the dictator, had moved a huge step earlier than her, Sakura cried inwardly. 

The next day, Sakura found another way to bicker Itachi by action. Her working hour started at 8:00 a.m. and ended at 5:00 p.m., but she didn’t want to leave the hospital. Sakura had a fantastic idea that she would stay in the hospital till night to show her rebellion — never bending before Itachi, the dictator. 

At 10:00, she drove back the manor with a victorious feeling, and she noticed a car following her. She turned left; it turned left. She turned right; it turned right. She stopped; it stopped. And when she drove to the Uchiha manor, it simply went straight to the Uchiha manor! To follow a person, one had to make it look like coincidental or at least put effort to hide oneself. 

But this! This was too obvious!

She stopped in a halfway, slamming the door, walking towards that car, making the man also have to stop his vehicle and get out of it.

"Young lady Sakura," the man courteously bowed his head.

"Who are you?!" Sakura furiously questioned.

"I’m your chauffeur."

"A chauffeur is supposed to drive someone to somewhere, not to follow someone to somewhere."

"It’s my pleasure to drive you to anywhere you want, my young lady."

"What I mean is that what you’re doing is not what a chauffeur does."

"It’s my pleasure if you allow me to do what you think a chauffeur should do."

The chauffeur might get at least a B in Debate.

"Itachi said that a chauffeur only went with me when I left here at night."

"It’s night now, my young lady."

"Left!!!"

"Mister Itachi told me that staying outside the manor after 7:00 p.m. would be counted as ‘leaving the manor’."

"It’s unreasonable!"

"It’s Mister Itachi’s order, my young lady."

"Are you my chauffeur or Itachi’s chauffeur?!"

"I’m your chauffeur, but Mister Itachi is my boss."

Sakura missed the security guard of that night shift so much.

"Is there any chauffeur working like a spy?!"

"Dear young lady, Mister Itachi said that I didn’t need to hide when following you. I’m not a spy."

"You!!!"

This was a blatant insult on her intelligence! Damn Itachi! He even thought he didn’t need to cover his dictatorship!!! She might have felt much better if he had sent a spy. At least it proved he respected her IQ in such a way.

Sakura decided that she would stay at Kakashi’s house. She had to leave this place. He didn’t allow her to stay in her own house alone, but Kakashi’s house, of course, was different. Besides, she already mentioned her plan once before, so Itachi couldn’t force her to stay here. Sakura finally found back her energy! She had to fight for her freedom; therefore, she texted Itachi (she knew that she couldn’t win if she faced him) to inform him that she would visit Kakashi for some days. Itachi sent a brief reply: "Okay."

Hence, she even didn’t have a chance to talk with Yoko at this weekend.

2.

On Saturday morning, happily waking up, she eagerly prepared for her escape from the Uchiha prison.

Sakura stopped her car right at the gate, walked out of it, stood there, raised both of her hands to the sky, enjoyed her magnificent triumph.

"This," Sakura, who was imbued with victorious feelings, proudly declared, "is the fresh air of freedom!!!"

The gatekeeper strained his face muscles from moving when witnessing such an emotional scene. Should he report this scene to the butler? Young lady Sakura unknowingly became an animal on the endangered list after one night; servants and maids all knew it.

Excited, Sakura decided to buy flowers in a flower shop near Kakashi's apartment, just for convenience. Subconsciously scared of the flower market, especially stock flowers, which Yoko held in hands during the walk, Sakura would find excuses to stay away from such kind of flowers and similar markets.

Humming on the way to the flower shop, she saw a familiar figure standing on the pavement and hence quickly parked her car along the road to exchange a brief talk.

"Uncle Hashi?"

"Nashi!"

"Why are you standing here?"

"Today is strange! No taxi wants to pick me up!"

As a good niece, Sakura asked him to get into her car, and she would drive him to where he wanted. Hashirama graciously thanked his brother's daughter and told her to drop him off in front of the Senju building. Both the uncle and the niece enjoyed rambling about stupid stuff and haha laughing like crazy gangsters until they were stuck in a traffic jam for so long that Sakura decided to turn off the engine. 

Hashirama’s speech was interrupted as Sakura's phone rang. Since the car barely moved now, she took the phone to have a look and saw the name she hated.

The butler!

Sakura deadpan stared at it, picked it up.

"Prisoner Sakura is listening."

"…"

"If you don't have anything to say, I'll end the call."

"Young lady, Mister Itachi said that even when you lived in Sir Hatake's house, the chauffeur would stay there with you."

"Kakashi's apartment doesn't have a spare room," Sakura bitterly barked.

"You misunderstood Mister Itachi's order, my young lady," the butler courteously explained. "The chauffeur won't stay in Sir Hatake's apartment; he'll stay in his car parked somewhere near the apartment at night only."

"The car isn't allowed to be parked in front of any apartments in the Garden Residence."

"The company's CEO gave us the right to park near there already, my young lady. Please don't worry."

"…" She didn't worry. Thank you!

"Master Sasuke also asked me to send you a word," the butler professionally said. "He said that he had lived there once, so he knew very clearly which exits you might take."

"…" 

Hashirama noticed something peculiar. His niece was as shiny and loud as him; he had a radar to detect it. He always thought Sakura acted more like his daughter than Tobirama's. Nevertheless, what he had witnessed was suspicious. His niece emotionlessly looked at the phone when she picked it up, and now she was staring at the phone in her hand like facing her lifetime enemy as if the world had turned its back to her and betrayed her. Being a good uncle, he worriedly asked, "What happened, Nashi?" But Sakura didn't say a word, and she even didn't move a bit. Hashirama's alarm was ringing violently in his head. What made Yamanashi look like a sombre sky? After a while, his niece's hand trembled with rage, and she yelled to the phone with the broken pent-up anger:

"Damn Uchiha!"

Hashirama: "…"

Hashirama straightened his back, no slouching or hunching, quietly showed his well-behaved manners during the drive, didn't dare to speak a word.

After he finally could say goodbye to his niece, ignoring the weird expression on the security guards' faces, Hashirama slapped his face while standing in front of the Senju building, murmured to himself, "Still hurts, this is not a dream."

He walked in a daze to the building, took the elevator like a dreamer, walked to his office, closed the door. He stood next to the wooden bookshelf, knocked it, murmured to himself his logics, "I still can hear."

He knocked it once more time.

"I still can hear."

He tapped on it.

"My hearing has no serious problem."

He tapped on it one more time.

"My hearing is still good."

He quickly took out his phone.

"Tobi!!!!!!!”

"Could you turn your volume down?" Tobirama scolded.

"I have breaking news for you!!!"

"What news?" Tobirama asked with no interest.

"Nashi is definitely your daughter!"

"She, of course, is my daughter," a calm and patient reply from Tobirama.

"No no," Hashirama tried to explain, "what I mean is Nashi is definitely yourrrrr daughter."

"I know Nashi is my daughter. Is there anything new?"

"You don't get it! Nashi…"

"You shut up!"

"But…"

Tobirama ended the call.

Hashirama was hurt; he called Madara.

"Hashirama?"

"Madara," Hashirama gloomily said. "I have a piece of breaking news. Do you want to hear?"

"What news?" Madara curiously said.

This was unmistakably his best friend! Hashirama was moved to tears inwardly.

"Yamanashi definitely is my brother's daughter!"

"Yamanashi? Sakura? Sasuke's wife?"

"It's her!"

"Your brother? A Senju? Tobirama?"

"It's him!"

"I knew that news, Hashi. Is there anything new?"

"No, no, you don't understand me! What I mean is Yamanashi is definitely my brooother's daughter."

"Then?"

"It's breaking news."

"It was breaking news."

"No, no, no, you don't understand…"

"Hashi, I'm in the Uchiha village and very busy; if you want to play, move to next month, not now."

"But…"

Madara ended the call.

When your best friend and your beloved brother treated you like you were unnecessary existence in their lives, you still had to smile, Hashirama told himself. Smile, and everything will be alright. Hashirama, be strong! 

3.

Meanwhile, Sakura continued her drive to the flower shop, and she saw a well-designed contemporary shopfront, crowded with customers. She didn't remember there had been such a shop before, so maybe they moved here some days ago. Maybe today was their opening day since lots of flowers were placed in front of the shop.

With the tendency to seek childish pleasure, Sakura stopped by the shop to see whether there was anything fun. She lifted her head to look at the sign, designed with a pastel blue shark head opening its mouth to show its shiny teeth. It was named Samehada, with a small line under it, the coolest stuffed animals in the world. What truly caught Sakura's attention was the giant stuffed weasel for decoration in the store's most beautiful spot. Thus Sakura had some new ideas to show her unyielding spirit.

"What can I help you with?" 

"Do you have any stuffed weasel like that one?" Sakura pointed to the model she wanted. "But in a smaller size…hm…which I can grab it in my hand."

"We have," the woman showed Sakura great hospitality, "but not exactly the same colour as that one, for it is our boss's favourite design."

"Okay. Can I have a look?"

She guided Sakura to the stuffed weasels. Sakura had to admit the giant one for decoration was the coolest one. She randomly took one and turned to ask the staff, "Do you have any stuffed fruit or vegetable?"

"Yes, we do. Do you have any specific one in mind?"

"What about a tomato?"

"We have it," the woman smiled.

Itachi, Sasuke, you two! Sakura bitterly thought. Wait for my revenge.

"Also," Sakura pointed at the decals on the wall, "your shop must have a team of excellent designers. Do you sell them?"

"We have decal printing service," the woman professionally explained, "we have some available decals, but if you need anything else, our designers will be available to draw for you right here as long as it's simple. But it will take time if you have high requirements."

"I just need a very simple one. How long can I get my decal after drawing?"

"We'll print it shortly if it is a small one."

Sakura quickly told the designer what she had in mind and happily took her two stuffed things and a decal back to the Uchiha manor.

4

The butler of the Uchiha manor delightedly enjoyed the cassava cake that he had to bribe the housekeeper to queue to buy for him. He had finished all the essential tasks this morning just to spare some time to fully enjoy every single bite of his lovely cake. The head family members weren’t in this manor now. Mister Itachi went out with his wife; Master Sasuke was on his business trip, and so were his parents; young lady hated this manor to death now. 

But his phone rang. He leaned his body to look at the name.

The gatekeeper? Is there a visitor? 

"Emergency situation! Young lady comes back!"

The butler nearly choked on his beloved cake. Coughing, he immediately took a sip of water. How could young lady come back where she hates?! He hurried to the living room to welcome his young lady home with many possible terrible imagined situations flashing through his brain.

"Young lady!"

Sakura beamed; the butler was stressed when seeing this gorgeous smile.

"Where are Kesu and Toru?"

"They must be running in the garden now."

Not saying a word, she walked to the garden, followed by the butler.

"Kesu! Toru!"

Two dogs ran to welcome her. They recently really hated to see a new female who loved to order them around in this manor. Even the butler didn’t dare to scold them, but that new female did, making them miss their Sakura so much.

"I have gifts for you," Sakura smiled. She took the stuffed weasel and stuffed tomato out. "Which one do you like? Take it, and bite it or tear it if you like."

The butler stared at the stuffed weasel in Toro’s mouth and the stuffed tomato in Kesu’s mouth and watched them run to the living room, stepping on their own beds, biting them. He sighed inwardly.

But that didn’t end there. Sakura continued to walk up the stairs and stopped in front of Itachi’s room. Seeing this, the butler desperately wanted to scream out to ask his young lady to feel just a little pity for him, but he sucessfully kept his composure professional.

Sakura took out the decal and stuck it on the door.

"You aren’t allowed to peel it away, get it?"

"I got it."

"Thank you," Sakura deadpan said. "I don’t bother you. I’ll leave the Uchiha zoo now."

"..."

The butler bowed to Sakura, walked her to the garage, then slowly moved his old body to Itachi’s room, beheld the decal, and sighed.

5.

Kakashi’s apartment was a part of a residential complex with a spacious central garden between buildings. They grew many trees here and made the garden look like a park with some ponds grown lotus and waterlily. Before adopting them, Kakashi lived elsewhere she didn’t know but in a much smaller apartment near the park to take his dogs for a walk. He only seriously looked for a new apartment with three small bedrooms (Sakura’s bedroom was added an ensuite), one kitchen, a bathroom, a balcony, and one living room, paid by his saving money for years right after he finished the adopting documents.

Parking her car, she walked through the garden to the building G, took the elevator, pressed the number seven to their apartment. When she opened the door, took off her shoes, placed them neatly on the shoe rack, she stared at it for a while. Where were her pink flip-flops? She ran around the house to find them but saw nothing.

There was the sound of someone entering the key. It was Naruto, who came back and excitedly greeted his sister.

"I heard you would come home tonight," Naruto beamed, "so I seriously speeded up my work and flew back here! Is Naruto amazing?"

"Naruto," Sakura seriously looked at him, "where are my flip-flops?"

"..."

"I bought them some months ago, and only I use them in this house. They are new! Where are they?"

"How do I know?" 

"Really???"

"Of-of course!"

"They are my representative in this house when I’m absent," Sakura formally announced and changed her voice to a threatening tone, poked Naruto’s shoulder with her index finger. "If I find out you have a hand in assassinating my flip-flops, you should know what is waiting for you."

"..."

Naruto didn’t have any good impression on flip-flops, which played the role of a tyrant in his life. When he was a child, he had difficulty keeping up with schoolwork, mostly mediocre performances, but stood out for his cheerful and exuberant character. School subjects didn’t appeal to him much, and of course, they were not his strength. But anyway, he had to pass the exams to be in the same class with Sakura and Sasuke. He had two smart friends who could ace all tests, so they helped him a lot in reviewing lessons after school. Still, when he prepared to take the special test to be qualified for officially being admitted to the police academy, it had a theoretical knowledge test! Being a police officer, one was required to have a wide range of both practical and theoretical knowledge. Sasuke and Sakura didn’t learn anything that was required for his test, so he had to study everything himself. Naruto was a person who was motivated by someone who loved him, and thus he tried very hard. Still, the paper test was tough; it was like a huge stone that Naruto could only move a bit. His special programme only offered a few slots to be passed, Kakashi once told Sakura, Naruto wouldn’t have any problem with other practice tests, only the theoretical test worth worrying. Since Sakura knew that, she became a very strict sister. 

"Between flip-flops and your ramen cups, choose one."

"Sakura…"

"I’ll come back here every Sunday night to test each chapter you have learnt. If you don’t learn it, no ramen."

"!!!"

She really hung a pair of yellow flip-flops on his study table as a warning message and somehow hid his ramen cups somewhere he didn’t know. Opening his treasure chest, Naruto only found new yellow flip-flops in his box of ramen cups every time he forgot to study. Naruto felt threatened. Flip-flops meant no ramen; no ramen meant no hope in life to him.

He passed all the test relating to practical skills with the highest scores and the theoretical test with a standard pass. Sakura was studying for residency exam at that time, extremely busy, but she still tried to spare some time to test him by asking questions and checking answers. There were Maths and Psychology, which Sakura knew, so they could discuss a little bit more. Yes, it was torturing. It was also heartwarming. If love were defined to pander to any wish, where would have he been now? 

But damn it! He wasn’t scared of a cockroach anymore, but he felt flip-flops were a besetting danger. He had accidentally thrown them away with his own unfathomable motives. 

Accidentally, Naruto drilled in his head, I only accidentally did it. 

They had discussed that they would clean and rearrange all the furniture in the house together to bring a fresh look and to feel revitalised. Spending a whole afternoon to move this and that from here to there, they finally achieved what they expected. The only manual job left was to clean the floor. Two big children held the mops cleaning from two different positions with a bucket of floor cleaner liquid. 

But the scariest enemy appeared!

The cockroach.

Sakura immediate detected it, and automatically turned around to find her flip-flop, as usual, freaking out, "Naruto!!! My flip-flop?!"

"Sakura, we can just use the insect repellent spray."

"And it will run around and around before it’s dead!" Sakura bickered and yelled. "It’s moving to a higher place!"

"Let me find the insect repellent spray!!!" Naruto screamed. "Wait for me!"

"Found it!!!"

But the insect repellent spray was no use since it was empty.

In a hopeless situation, Sakura saw a thing that could replace her flip-flop. Naruto looked at the thing that Sakura was staring as a saviour.

"No!" Naruto yelled. "No! Sakura!"

Sakura held the saviour in her hand, climbed on the chair, and slapped her saviour on the wall.

"Hello," Kakashi opened the door, happily greeted. "I’m home. I heard that Sakura came back home tonight, so I…"

What Kakashi saw was a messy picture.

Naruto’s hands clutched at Sakura’s cashmere cardigan.

Sakura was standing on a chair.

On the wall was a dead cockroach.

She killed it with a flip-flop again, Kakashi sighed. But…

On his beloved adopted daughter’s hand wasn’t a flip-flop.

She was holding something quite familiar…

Naruto felt he was living in a slow-motion scene.

Kakashi blinked his eyes a few more times before his heartrending scream, "My lover!!!!!!"

Sakura was woken by her father’s desperate scream; she looked at her saviour, realised she had touched the thing which she was supposed to stay away, terrified, paralysed, she promptly opened her hand to prove her innocence and clean her crime.

"No, Sakura! Hold it! It has a plastic cover!" Naruto screamed.

It was too late.

The book was falling.

And Kakashi ran towards it as a hero saving his princess.

"Noooo, Kakashi," Naruto screamed, "the floor is slippery."

The hero cared for nothing when saving his princess. Kakashi made a beautiful slip to the wooden plate rack, sending them collapse, splashing, broken.

"You killed my lover!" Kakashi painfully yelled. "You killed the only light in my sombre life!!!"

The house now was sobbing and moaning with Kakashi since except for him, his two kids didn’t dare to make a sound. 

When Naruto and Sakura were silently cleaning everything under pressure spreading to every single corner of the house, someone rang the bell. Naruto stopped everything to answer the door.

"Zabuza? Haku?" Naruto was surprised to see them.

"Naruto," Haku smiled with all his kindness. Zabuza still wore a robot face.

"Is there anything important?"

"We came back the police station," Haku explained with a soft smile, "and the one who is in charge of tonight’s shift told us he needed to go to an apartment in Garden Residence as someone called him to report of a potential murder or domestic abuse since that neighbour heard screaming, broken dishes sound, and kill and kill. We noticed it was Kakashi’s address, so we told him to let us go here."

"..."

"What happened?" Zabuza maintained his cool looking face. "Is there any murderer here?"

"Yes," Naruto nodded thoughtfully, pointing to Sakura who was cleaning the floor, "she is the murderer; do you want to take her to the police station?"

"Are you kidding me, Naruto?" Zabuza frowned. "If there’s nothing, we’ll leave."

"So you won’t catch her?" Naruto seriously asked. "She…killed Kakashi’s lover."

"..."

"I think we’ll leave now," Haku smiled, discerning Naruto’s joke. 

"Why don’t you stay to have dinner with us?"

"We don’t want to be involved in a murder," Haku laughed. "Send Kakashi and Sakura our greetings. We’re leaving."

"Thank you, officers!" Naruto laughed.

Then he came back to accept his fate.

After they cleaned everything, two kids who had exceptionally eating skills sat next to each other in front of the TV with a random programme, looked at each other. Their adopted father was supposed to cook dinner, but now…

Kakashi held his lover closed to his heart as if the love of his life left him forever. Kakashi looked lost in unspeakable sorrow. Naruto used his eyes to call Sakura to stand to fight for their dinner, so Sakura carefully said, "Kakashi, I’m…"

But Kakashi, with the little voice of a man who had no hope to the world that shadowed all him the most painful darkness and was ready for committing suicide to find his only light in the underworld, said as though barely breathing with the epic emotional music from the TV accompanying:

"Please don’t tell me anything  
or say a word  
to me.  
Now my lover died;  
She died of a flip flop.  
Oh, my love! My love died  
under the bloody hand of my adopted daughter  
and an insect whose name’s cockroach  
Who could understand my sorrow?  
I can’t revenge for her since the murderer is my own child.  
Oh, my lover died.  
My Icha Icha Paradise!!!"

"..."

"..."

Sakura guiltily looked at Naruto, "It seems that today we’ll eat ramen cups."

Right at that time, the TV’s music show ended and changed to an advertisement:

"Are you a loyal fan of Icha Icha Paradise? We’ll have some breaking news which will beguile you!"

Kakashi’s sobs gradually died down.

"To celebrate the fiftieth birthday of our beloved author, Jiraiya, the publisher decided to print all the books in the series with hardcovers, new cover designs, and an exquisite boxset with some tiny gifts like postcards, silk posters, and standees designed by the most famous digital designer in our country, Sai!"

Sakura kept her head down to avoid the overshining light behind her back.

"But they are limited versions. Only 120 sets are available and will be sold on Jiraiya’s birthday — Monday! This is a workday; we know. But to prove your loyalty, be an early bird to get yourself these precious copies! The secret code to buy is to wear a bear costume and be on time at 8:00 o’clock at the three biggest bookstores in our country."

Sakura heard the sound of the book already tossed aside. The light behind her back enveloped the room. Sakura reached out her hand to clutch at Naruto’s shirt to seek for support, but all she caught was air. She looked at the place next to her. Empty. She raised her head a bit just to find out that Naruto had moved his ass two meters away from her. Sakura sent an accusing look at Naruto, "How could you do that to me?"

Naruto silently mouthed his words, "Uzumaki Naruto is no longer a stupid boy; he is intelligent."

And Kakashi slowly articulated his daughter’s name, "Sakura."

"..." No, don’t call her name!

"I’ll forget your crime today."

"..." I’ll leave here!

"I’ll cook dinner."

"..." I can eat ramen cup!

"Sakura, your little old man is just a poor man whose children…"

"I’ll buy for you," Sakura painfully accepted her fate. "I’ll buy for you, okay?"

6.

The next morning, Sakura drove to buy masks for Kakashi. On the back seat was a mountain of boxes of medical masks; Sakura didn’t dare to buy them in the hospital for fear of damaging her good reputation and thus always wore a mask, sunglasses, and a hat to those stores, just making her nothing but creepy in the eyes of the sellers, especially when she usually bought them on Friday evening. Her little old man did demand his masks not to be purchased online, and he refused to explain it.

"You two are too young to understand my deep, noble intention."

Just a simple sentence was an answer to all questions.

Last night, Naruto suggested having a Shabu Shabu hot pot for a heart-warming family reunion; of course, it would be cooked by Kakashi with the help of two big children exceptionally excelling all arts of eating. Naruto would wash the dishes. Sakura was allocated to go to the supermarket to buy beef, pork, vegetables, tofu, sesame sauce and ponzu sauce. 

On the way back home, Sakura was again stuck in a traffic jam due to a flow of people who were wearing in black, holding white roses, silently moving across the road. It seemed someone had died. The police were there in a minute and tried their best to regulate the flow as well as the traffic since funeral procession was such a sensitive issue that they would not usually take forceful action.

But who died? 

Sakura leaned her head out of the window but couldn’t see anything.

She just drove home as soon as the road was cleared.

7.

Sakura noticed Naruto keep standing on the balcony, so she walked there, asking him, "Is there any problem?"

Naruto, with half-closed eyes, suspiciously pointed at the black car parking somewhere near their house, "I noticed that car parked there two days ago. Just around this time, and it disappeared in the morning."

Sakura deadpan said, "Nothing suspicious; I know him."

"Huh? Who is he?"

"The zookeeper."

"What?!" Naruto confusedly asked. "But there is no animal here."

Sakura silently pointed her index finger to herself. Naruto seriously tried to figure out what she meant; he leaned his body to see whether anyone was standing behind her.

"Sakura, are you that animal?"

A clear nod from Sakura.

"What happened?"

Sakura again condemned Itachi of jailing her with no hope that Naruto would stand for her.

"This is unacceptable!" Naruto criticised.

"Huh?" Sakura was surprised to see Naruto's unexpected reaction. 

Naruto walked silently to the living room and leaned his body towards Sakura, "Do you want me to…", with his hand imitating a sword cutting the neck.

"Can you?" Sakura was excited.

"Who am I?" Naruto beat his chest proudly like a King Kong, excitedly asked. "Where do you want to go without him?"

"Hm," Sakura thought for a while, "anywhere without him is okay to me."

"I know an entertainment centre built some weeks ago," Naruto suggested. "Shall we go there?"

"Okay!!!"

"What are you talking about?" Kakashi swayed a ladle in his hand. "Talking in an undertone in your own house is suspicious."

"Kakashi," Naruto exclaimed with a powerfully criticising voice, "we're planning to go somewhere to play. Itachi was unduly unreasonable…why did you kick my leg, Sakura? Let me say it! Itachi asked a chauffeur to follow Sakura every night! Just because she…why did you keep kicking my leg, Sakura?"

Kakashi glanced at Sakura then looked at Naruto, "Naruto…"

"Huh?"

"You mean you two want to go somewhere to play, right?"

"Exactly!"

Kakashi sighed, looking at the ceiling, then sadly said, "Children growing up don't want to spend time with their parent. Just being at home two, three days, now they are fed up with their little old father."

"…"

"…"

"Right?"

"…"

"…"

"This winter," Kakashi disappointedly looked at them, "will be very harsh for me. My children all flew away, and now they came back with the thoughts of flying to somewhere to play in order to avoid dinner cooked by their old poor father. Right?"

"…"

"…"

"Did you two really prefer going out to having dinner with your poor father?"

"…"

"…"

"Huh?"

"We'll stay," Naruto and Sakura dispiritedly said with one voice.

"I know you two will always be my good children," Kakashi gave a compliment like he was moved to tears. "Stand up! Help your father prepare one of the best dinners in your life."

After the intimate yet casual dinner with lots of fun, Naruto and Sakura enjoyed the languor of sitting on the sofa watching TV while Kakashi was reading his book. On the table was a dish of peaches and apples sliced gracefully. The TV reported the traffic jam with which Sakura had encountered. A famous actor died of a car accident because of a minibus driver who drove over the speed limit and hit the actor's car off the cliff on a mountain road, causing his fans a great grievance. Sakura, sitting with crossed legs, spooned her strawberry ice-cream into her mouth, glancing at Naruto.

"What problem?"

Naruto frowned.

"Huh?"

"This accident made me feel very…hm," Naruto tried to describe his feeling but to no use, so he ended with a very general and simple word, "weird."

"Why?"

"The minibus driver's testimony is too honest," Naruto rubbed his hair.

"Being honest is a good quality, right?" Sakura bit her metal spoon, raised her question. "Elaborate it, Naruto. I'm not a policewoman."

"Do you remember what you used to test me to prepare for my exam?" Naruto asked. "There's an effect called Ra…hm…I forget the name, but it's about telling lies while giving testimony."

"Rashomon effect?"

"That's right!" Naruto slapped his thigh. "I just remember what it is and can't even drag its name out of my brain."

"So, what you mean is the minibus driver lied?"

"Not exactly."

"Huh?"

"He narrated too smoothly, Sakura," Naruto frowned, "and too honest. Every witness will be telling some lies during testimony because of some personal interests or unreliable perception. He is too honest. We checked everything, and it was exactly the same as what he had said. Also, he told the story in sequence."

"Hm? How can?" Sakura did the same face as Naruto. "Human's brain doesn't have such an amazing ability when recalling memories. Did he really describe everything in chronological order?"

"That's why I was wondering what had truly happened," Naruto complained. "He was sincere to tell everything and accept his crime. Everything was perfect. Case closed!"

Kakashi closed his book, indifferently said, "You have no evidence to continue the investigation, Naruto."

"But you didn't trust what he said, right?"

"Naruto," Kakashi, who was lying across the sofa opposite to Naruto and Sakura, put his book aside, rested his head on the throw pillow, nonchalantly asked, "do you know what the hardest thing to tolerate is?"

"Huh?!"

Kakashi continued, "It's not poverty, violence, pain, sorrow, suffering or betrayal, Naruto. A child can tolerate being bullied, beaten, and his parents can tolerate poverty and pain to give their child the best. You're betrayed, and you can say goodbye to that person. Sorrow and suffering…who doesn't taste a bit of them when living? But Naruto, the child I'm telling you will commit suicide if his teacher and the whole class condemn him of stealing a friend's pencil while he doesn't do that. No one can tolerate being wrongly condemned because it is to kill the light inside each person. Such light is not of an electric bulb but a candle; it's easy to be blown out, which is why it needs protection."

"Can you speak human language, Kakashi?"

"What I mean is," Kakashi patiently explained, "the minibus driver accepted some years in state prison with perfect testimony. He even didn't argue for himself but honestly admitted his crime. If he is wrongly condemned, how could he accept it with such an impeccable deposition? Think, Naruto."

"You mean… he's willing to accept it for some reasons?"

"Uh."

"Hm…"

"You can only request further investigation when you find new evidence, Naruto. Procedures have their sluggish sides, but without them, everything would definitely mess up. You can't argue that you feel a man is suspicious and rush into his house. What happens if you wrongly condemn another person? We need some legal documents to do so."

"But Naruto can secretly investigate as long as he doesn't do anything against the law, right?" Sakura deadpan asked. "That's what you mean, Kakashi!"

Naruto grumbled, "Why did you not say directly?! Going around and around made my brain messed up."

"I'm training your brain," Kakashi reached out his hand to take the apple slices, but he ate all of them during training Naruto's brain. 

Sakura laughed.

"You laughed what?" Naruto bickered. "Always looking down on my IQ!"

Kakashi and Sakura burst out laughing.

"Sakura," Naruto feigned looking serious, "how did Rashomon effect affect you?"

"How can! I'm a good civilian," Sakura sneered. Then she took the plate, standing up. "I'll slice more for you."

And she walked to the kitchen. Kakashi was confused, "Naruto, why did you mention the Rashomon effect on Sakura?"

"Huh? You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Do you know the Nine-Ninth case?"

Kakashi frowned.

"Sakura was one of the survivors of that attack, Kakashi."

"What?!"

Naruto laughed, "You are such a busy father, Kakashi. Even Sasuke knows it."

"You told him but didn't tell me?"

"I didn't tell him."

"Then, how?"

"Itachi was also a survivor of that attack. He went with Sakura to buy a gift for Sasuke in one of the buildings."

Kakashi frowned.

"You had to fly somewhere around that time, right?" 

"But…wait…that attack…"

"Very terrible? I know. It was indescribably lucky that Sakura was alive," Naruto smiled. "I assumed you knew it."

Kakashi was still shocked.

"But," Naruto turned his head to look at the kitchen, seriously said, "joking is okay; you shouldn't ask Sakura about that. That attack was terrible, and I don't think making her recall it is a good idea. I only knew that news some months after the attack, and immediately found Sakura; she looked absolutely normal. Itachi advised me that what I had seen was very long progress to Sakura since she, you know, is bad at handling her emotions. Don't pry information out of her, Kakashi."

8.

Hatake Kakashi spent a whole night on surfing the Internet reading newspapers about the Nine-Ninth case. He read through many articles, but they brought him no valuable information. Kakashi sighed. He exploited his rights as the Chief of Police to request access to read the case's file but was rejected. General information online only told that a group called Nine-Ninth attacking some buildings with bombs along with the statistics of how many people died.

Naruto misinterpreted Kakashi's shock. He didn't feel shocked because the attack was so terrible that it was hard to believe Sakura was one of the survivors but the complication of the case itself. People who read newspapers could only know what the writers wanted readers to know; they even secretly twisted some words to manipulate readers to think in the same way. The critical information usually lay in secret. As far as Kakashi remembered, this case's problem was that the group held accountable for that attack had nine genius killers. They carefully planned everything before the attack and processed it slowly, like enjoying lying on the beach. It was all that he knew. To avoid letting fanatics idolise this group, as well as to protect the survivors, all the information about what actually happened was put in secret, which meant what Sakura and Itachi had gone through couldn't be described as 'terrible' just based on the number of deaths; or at least there had to be one reason making those in charge decided not to reveal it. 

Normally, he didn't care, but this made him somewhat restless. And now Kakashi didn't have the rights to access the information, which proved a certain degree of how strange this case was. Such cases, such as attacks, mass killing, terrorism, etc. usually weren't categorised as so highly classified that even he was rejected. His instinct was trying to tell him something.

The next morning, he took the initiative to find Ibiki. The best way to talk with Ibiki was to be straightforward, not to beat around the bush.

"Do you know anything about the Nine-Ninth case, Ibiki?"

"Why did you suddenly want to know?" Ibiki gave Kakashi a suspicious glance. "That case was dealt by the Special Forces."

"That's the reason why I asked you," Kakashi nonchalantly answered. "I'm curious about it."

"It happened long ago, and now it interests you?" Ibiki didn't trust what Kakashi said and seriously warned. "We don't have the rights to access anything under the control of the Special Forces, Kakashi. I'm reminding you. The Special Forces are granted to work independently; they have their own training syllabus, rules, headquarter, and even the rights not to answer any questions from other forces. I don't care what interests you, but you're the Chief of Police. Don't cross the border!"

"I wasn't here at that time," Kakashi explained. "I searched about it last night, but mostly newspaper described how terrible it was with the number of dead people in total. I remember that case was not as normal as what the newspaper said."

"It was assigned to the Special Forces for a reason, Kakashi."

"I know."

"What do you want from me?"

"You must know something about it."

Ibiki thought for a while. He knew Kakashi long enough to understand who he was. Kakashi loved joking, making excuses, lighting up the tedious, dull atmosphere, but never forgot which position he was taking. Although Kakashi didn't mention the reason behind his curiosity, which Ibiki surely could guess was not unreasonable and simple as such. Kakashi insisted on finding some details about this case, which meant he must have had an unexplainable motive.

"I don't know much, Kakashi," Ibiki lighted his cigarette. "But I can tell you what I know."

"Thank you," Kakashi sincerely thanked him, for Ibiki didn't pry him a bit.

"That attack," Ibiki gazed into space, breathing out a white cloud smoke, "was carefully planned. You might know it. There were nine of them who calculated everything in detail to prevent the police from breaking in or killing them from afar and even destroyed the cameras system. Their profiles in school were genius by birth. At that time, they required their friends to be free, but it wasn't the truth."

Kakashi didn't say anything. Ibiki continued, "They did plan to commit suicide after that attack, Kakashi. They fooled everyone around by saying that they agreed to negotiate, but the truth was to lengthen the time. Bombs were installed in nine buildings. They started with an explosion at the so-called zero-building and then sent a riddle every thirty minutes; once it was solved in time, the building's address would be revealed. The Special Forces successfully solved all riddles, evacuated people from other buildings and sent a bomb squad to solve it, but it wasn't the main point. Those nine men stayed in a jewellery store nearby. It was White Day when many people bought gifts for their lovers. That store was very famous and hence very crowded on such a day. To be more precise, that group's main playground was that store."

"They used other buildings as a distraction."

Ibiki nodded.

Ibiki leaned his body to the table, lowered his voice, "they played pointing games, Kakashi."

Kakashi frowned.

"The main reason why the Special Forces had a hand in this case was such," Ibiki explained. "They asked hostages to kill each other by standing in a circle and point at each other. Whoever wanted to safe and sound leave the store just needed to point one person to die for them. Every five minutes would have one dead person; if they refused to point at someone, the dead one would be randomly chosen, and thus the hostages were scared and yearned for life."

"Traumatic."

"Many who left the store by pointing at the other committed suicide after some months, Kakashi."

"Understandable," Kakashi took a big sip of water, "then what happened next?"

"I don't know," Ibiki shook his head. "But all the hostages along with the nine men died, Kakashi."

"All of them?"

"I told you all what I know."

Kakashi frowned.

"If you want to know more, you can find Anko. She was the forensic expert of that case. Maybe she has some information for you."

Before Kakashi left, Ibiki said, "Bear in mind one thing, Kakashi. What I told you was leaked from someone and then became a rumour. Information passed from one to one would be subjective and changed."

"Thank you, Ibiki."

9.

"You take off your mask, and I'll tell you what I know."

Anko took out her scalpel, extraordinarily sharp and small, to caress along Kakashi jawline slowly.

"Anko, this is a knife."

"You doubt my skills?"

"It's a knife."

"Don't move then," Anko smiled sweetly, tapping the knife on his face, "take off the mask, or leave here, Kakashi. You want to get something, then pay me something."

"Can we change to any other payment method?"

"No bargain."

"Can I pay for it later?"

"And you'll run after taking what you're asking for. Men usually love to play this card," Anko smirked, smoothly moving the knife trailing to his neck, shoulder then the chest.

Kakashi looked at the knife, sweating.

Anko laughed, "Tut-tut, look at yourself, Kakashi. How can the Chief of Police be scared to sweats?" Anko smiled, took back her knife swiftly, tapping it on her chin, feigned pondering, "hm…I recently heard that my favourite bar invented a new drink only served in this month."

"I'll pay for it," Kakashi quickly grabbed the chance offered to him without thinking.

"My car is broken."

"I'll drive you there."

"And?"

"I'll drive you home."

Anko sighed, "I indeed don't want to bother you, but if you insist on inviting a beautiful lady like me that much, I'll loath to accept it."

"Thank you!!!" Kakashi told a lie while crying inwardly.

Kakashi drove Anko to the bar she liked of which name was Pain. At the entrance, a board hung on the lamp post, written: "We are gods, and gods don't bow to humans. There is no 'customers are always right' here. If you make a mess, we'll kick you out. Whoever can roll their bodies here should know how to drag their bodies back home. Be a responsible human, for gods are busy."

"No 'customers are always right'?" Kakashi sounded surprised. "Interesting!"

"Staff is also human, and many just use that slogan to stamp on others," Anko nonchalantly said while walking through the bar's front garden. "The staff here has a good sense of humour and is sassy sometimes. I've enjoyed this bar for a decade: unique drinks, unique rules and events, and interesting staff. I've never seen the boss of this bar franchise, but rumours say he is very protective of his staff and thus his staff is very loyal to him. He has a good eye for choosing staff, to be honest. You can search online; this bar has been receiving funny reviews, only one star or five stars."

Anko went straight to her favourite spot, ordered the new drink for herself (Kakashi wouldn't take off his mask, so there was no need to call one for him), and started to tell Kakashi.

"First, I don't know much about that case," Anko clarified her position. "I'm a forensic expert after everything ended. Since the killers all died, it was just a procedure to write a forensic analysis. Second, what I'm going to tell you is the result, along with my assumption."

"That case is interesting," Kakashi remarked. "Ibiki said something similar to what you said. He told me he didn't know much either."

"The bullet trajectory analysis gave me some thoughts," Anko frowned, took a sip of her drink, pondered. "The killers were nine skilled men, but the hostages' bodies had many bullets inside, and half of them came from one gun. The angle was a straight line with 90°, but it seemed from an unskilled gun user since the positions of the bullets had no consistency."

"No consistency?"

"Each person has his or her own shooting style and favourite positions," Anko explained. "That case, I think Ibiki already explained to you, was a pointing game. It wasn't a random shooting, which means the shooter has time. In such cases, the bullet will go to the same position on each person. But the suspicious detail here is that the unskilled killer I mentioned shoot with a random pattern but without consistency."

"Random? Pattern?"

"Around one region on the body but not the same position."

"Hm…"

"Among the nine men, there was one man whose height was ideal to be that unskilled killer," Anko put her hand above her head, "higher than me a bit, and then she lowered her voice, "but I don't believe it was him."

"Why?"

"He did shoot some people, Kakashi," Anko said, "and the pattern was different. He was a skilled one. My theory was that the man didn't use his dominant hand, but it's strange for one to change hand during shooting. I wasn't provided with the information about the fingerprints. So, basically, it is the first suspicious point."

"What is the second one?"

"The second one," Anko smiled. "You know, there were three survivors in that store."

"W-wait," Kakashi interfered, "Ibiki told me no one survived."

"No no no," Anko shook her head, still smiled. "His information is wrong. The Special Force planted an elite member among the hostages, Kakashi."

"An elite member?"

Anko's voice became mysterious and exciting, "Let me tell you what has interested me about that case. The nine men died under one person's hand, who later was revealed to be a Special Forces' member, but they refused to give me his name. That man must have an impeccable shooting skill."

"Uchiha Shisui?"

"No," Anko dismissed promptly. "Had it been Shisui, they would not have covered his name."

"To kill nine men," Kakashi remarked, "he must be an elite member."

"No word can describe his talent."

"But the Special Forces has many talented people; why does it seem you idolise him?"

"I haven't told you the most interesting part yet," Anko poured herself a wine. "What happens in a gunfight, Kakashi? There were nine men versus one man. Since you kill one of them, others will attack you, so my theory is that there was a gunfight in the end. In case of a gunfight, on each body must have more than one bullet or," Anko raised her tone at the word 'or', paused, and continued with a lower manner, "random shooting positions."

"Hm," Kakashi nodded, showing his agreement, "the shooters involved in a gunfight have to hide then shoot right at the time they see someone. No time to think much."

"But," Anko smiled, stroking her glass of wine, hoarsely said, "on each body of those nine men had only one bullet, Kakashi. Do you know where it was," she leaned her body towards Kakashi with shiny mysterious eyes, pointing at her temple, "here, Kakashi. One shot here can kill a person immediately. That's the reason why I said 'no word can be used to describe his talent'."

"Impressive."

"Honestly, I didn't trust he was a Special Forces member," Anko smirked, "but there is no other explanation for his shooting skill."

"Why did you not trust such an explanation at the very beginning?"

"That group calculated everything in detail, then how could the Special Forces plant a member among the hostages during the attack? And in case of successfully finding a way to enter the store, why did they not plant more than one? So, my theory is that the shooter was among the hostages accidentally right at the very beginning. Coincidence is suspicious in our field, Kakashi."

"So," Kakashi concluded, "there were three survivors, including the shooter."

"Exactly," Anko drained her glass, pouring another for herself.

There was a brief silence between them before Anko said, "Like I said, what I told you is my theory. I wasn't given any information about the evidence collected there. If you want to know exactly what happened, there is only one way, Kakashi."

"The Database."

The Database was where all the information of all the cases was filed with different classified levels.

"But you need the signature from the Special Forces. They have their own rules; you should search for the procedure before asking for permission."

"Who was the commander of that case? Izuna?"

"No," Anko waved her hand to dismiss what Kakashi said. "Izuna wasn't there at that time. He is also the director of the Special Forces. Busy, you know," Anko shrugged her shoulders.

"Everyone gets used to calling him commander, making me sometimes forget he is also the director," Kakashi laughed at himself. "Then who was the commander of that case?"

Anko winked her right eye, sweetly said. "It was Uchiha Shisui, Kakashi."

10.

"What makes the Chief of Police frown during lunch and so lost in thought that didn't realise his best friend came in?" Maito Gai put his lunch tray on the table where Kakashi was having his lunch in his office.

"Hi Gai," Kakashi greeted his best friend with a sigh.

"Hm?" Gai put his face close to Kakashi, "I sensed something suspicious."

"Focus on your meal."

"Nooooooo," Gai didn't let Kakashi dodge his question. "We're the best duo. How can I leave you with a headache? Quick! Tell Maito Gai, and he'll help you."

"How can we get the file of a case under the control of the Special Forces without any signature?"

"Hm?" Gai rubbed his chin. "Why don't you just simply ask for permission?"

"With what reason?"

"It's the Special Forces we're talking about," Gai played a critic. "Let me think…"

"You don't ask me why I want to access such info?"

"We're the best duo formed on trust. I'll help you whenever you need," Gai beamed, revealing his super-white and shiny teeth. "Besides, you are not a person who pokes your nose to others' business."

"Thank you, Gai."

"Back to your problem," Gai rubbed his chin again, "there's only one solution: Hack the system."

Kakashi sighed, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"How do you know it isn't good when you haven't tried it?"

"Can you hack?"

"No."

"Can I?"

"No."

"Then, who? We can't let too many people involved, and we'll end our lives if someone leaks the news about what we're planning."

"Zabuza."

"Huh?!"

"You can trust Zabuza, Kakashi," Gai suggested. "Just call him here. Zabuza doesn't like talking much; if he disagrees, he won't tell anyone."

Following Gai’s suggestion, Kakashi called Zabuza to his office and explained his intention. Beyond their expectation, Zabuza felt excited about that idea with a simple reason that he felt challenged. Three of them gathered and focused on a laptop with Zabuza sitting in between two standing men. Just some minutes passed, and Zabuza shook his head, "We have some problems."

"What problem?"

"Hacking this system costs lots of time, but of course, that's not the problem I mentioned. If I successfully hack it, my IP and location will be recorded immediately, or even worse, my laptop will be injected with a virus. It's not a normal system. The Database files everything, which means it's specialised in protecting information. It must have a bundle of ITs who are available to prevent hackers."

Kakashi sighed.

"Why don't we go with the procedure?" Zabuza asked.

"Like the stupid movies out there? Tricking the security system by laughing and pretending to have some troubles with the register or feigning stupid?" Gai complained. "If so, we should worry about our national security. They will kick us out once we make some suspicious actions without reason. Movies love to make policemen look stupid."

Kakashi sighed again, "We won't be allowed for permission, Zabuza. We already told you."

"What I mean is," Zabuza paused, took a deep breath, said, "to fake that we have permission."

Kakashi and Gai: "!!!"

"Just a form, a stamp, a signature," obviously said Zabuza.

"Falsifying documents is illegal," Kakashi said.

"Hacking governmental database is illegal."

"The Database staff isn't stupid."

"Then fake it well."

"Are you a policeman, Zabuza?"

"Are you the Chief of Police?"

"But how can we fake it when we have no experience in it?"

"Haku can help," Zabuza suggested. "To be honest, I ached to enter the Database building to behold its system. Standing on the right lane for a long time, I feel thrilled to dance on the wrong lane."

"We could be suspended if caught," Kakashi said. "I'm okay, but I don't want to affect your career."

"I have been working without rest for years," Gai hit the table. "It's time for a vacation!!!"

"First we must have the form," Kakashi analysed. "I once saw it during a case required cooperation with the Special Forces. They have their own forms for different purposes."

"The Special Forces is always playing alone," Gai criticised. "This time we have to teach them a lesson. Why do they have lots of prerogatives?!"

"They’re special," Kakashi deadpan said.

"They must have the file stored in their computers. As long as it's not in the Database, I can hack to take the form," Zabuza said. "It's easy."

Gai became excited, "Then how can we fake the stamp and the signature?"

"Can we meet at my house tonight?" Zabuza suggested. "We'll discuss it there. Here is not safe."

"Okay!"

11.

Arriving home, Haku noticed the house lights all turned off with only a dim light from Zabuza's study. Casually, he walked there just to hear some words like 'suspension' and 'vacation'. He opened the door and saw three men have their heads together and talk like thieves.

"Is anyone planning a vacation?" Haku asked.

"Haku!" Gai beamed like seeing his saviour. "We're waiting for you."

"Hm?"

The three men took turns to explain everything to Haku and pointed at the computer screen that they had the form already. They needed someone who could fake the stamp and the signature. Haku smiled, "Faking the stamp is easy to me, but you all underestimate the Special Forces."

Three innocent pairs of eyes focused on Haku to wait for an explanation. 

Haku pointed to the top of the form in the computer, "Do you see it?"

"It's…," Gai took a close look, "wait… it's…"

"Security strip," Kakashi noted and sighed. "Why did we not see it for over twenty minutes of chatting?"

"Damn the Special Forces!" Gai cursed. "Just a simple form! It has a security strip!!!"

"Such a security strip is valid for only two years and will be replaced with the new one," Haku stood beside three cheerless men who were sitting on the chairs. "It took the designer at least six months to finalise everything, and the security strip is embedded in a governmental printing system which is highly secure. The Special Forces will receive a limited number of forms already embedded with a security strip on each of them and print the content on it every time they need. That form can grant you to access to classified information; it's not easy like what you are thinking."

Zabuza cheerlessly said, "The more I can't access its system…"

"The more you feel curious," Gai sighed.

"But Haku," Zabuza rested his head without spirit on the table, "how do you know that mu…"

Even Zabuza noticed something, so he trailed off at the end of his question. Kakashi and Gai noticed it too, promptly looked at Haku.

Haku's lips made a simple curve, calmly disclosed the most important secret ever, "Because I'm the designer."

"!!!"

"Tell me," Haku smiled. "What's the plan?"

"Haku," Zabuza seriously said. "You just need to help us from the shadow."

"You want to be suspended and enjoy your vacation alone?" Haku joked. "Rarely does anything interest you that much. I'm interested. I also want to join."

They looked at each other and showed consent in silence.

"Let me explain one thing first," Haku took a seat himself. "Even though I am the designer, I don't have the right to take any finalised document out of the printing building. I can only take the invalid ones, including the old ones and the ones in the process of design. But there's some good news for you. The Special Forces will change to another form in some days."

"You mean," Kakashi pondered, "you will take the present form once it becomes invalid for us?"

"Exactly."

"But it's useless then," Zabuza questioned.

"Information processed from one department to another department takes time," Gai explained. "Is that what you mean, Haku?"

"You need to learn more, Zabuza," Haku smiled.

"But it means we have very tight time," Zabuza argued. "How can we know what time it takes effect? It depends much on other people."

"I will lengthen the time for you," Haku explained his idea. "Listen! The day the new form takes effect is the day after tomorrow. I can take the old form for you, and then later I'll tell them that I find a mistake in the new form design and request to have a look. You only have some hours in between."

"Got it."

"Also, I can start making a stamp tonight, but I can't fake a signature without practising. We only have two days. I will fail. You have to trick someone for a real signature."

"Since the director held the stamp, the signature isn't necessary to be Izuna's signature," Kakashi said. "I remember the second-in-command can sign it."

"So, we need to trick Uchiha Shisui to sign it?" Gai grumbled. "It's impossible!!!"

"No," Zabuza dismissed at once. "Uchiha Shisui got injured and has stayed at home now."

"The temporary second-in-command now is Genma," Kakashi updated information for Gai.

"Genma?" Gai rubbed his chin. "I think I can trick him."

"Huh?"

"He loves wine and beer," Gai explained, "but has a very low alcohol tolerance, so he only drinks it when relaxing."

"Wait," Kakashi interfered, "but we need to give him the form to sign. How can you trick him into signing it when he knows the form? Even drunk, he won't give his signature that easily."

"The more we discuss, the more problem we have," Zabuza sighed.

"I have an idea," Haku smiled. "But you all have to sacrifice a bit."

12.

Haku accessed the governmental printing building after showing his ID card and left with some documents shown to the staff for checking. Haku had built his good reputation as a person who was conscientious, reserved, and kind. In other words, he successfully built trust here for a decade of working secretly as a designer that even Zabuza didn't know. Trust could make things processed smoothly. 

"Mr Haku," the staff smiled, "it's okay now."

Haku smiled, "Have a good day. These days are cold. Take care of yourself."

"Thank you," the staff smiled.

Haku took the documents and walked to the car which was waiting for him in the parking lot near the building.

"Successful?" 

Haku smirked, showed the blank paper with the security strip on it. "Mission completed!"

"We can discuss where we are going to enjoy our vacation now," Gai excitedly said.

"I already asked Genma for a drink tonight," Gai continued. "Are you sure that plan will work?"

"Just make sure Genma is drunk," Kakashi said. "We have to do it in the pub. A public place lowers the risk of being suspicious. Since Gai and I are famous for competing with each other in stupid stuff, let us carry it under the reason that we're competing who can access the Database without permission if we are caught."

"Hey hey," Zabuza coldly interfered, "don't play that card here. I spent a whole night searching where to go for a vacation last night."

Haku's soft voice flew into the conversation, "I ordered a new suitcase last night. Seriously."

13.

Genma received a phone call from Maito Gai last night, inviting him to have a drink and play a game with Kakashi. These two men were famous because of craziness that they created many stupid games to see who was better. Genma thought a relaxing night with two crazy men wasn't a bad idea, so he agreed. Maito Gai was his best friend in school.

He drove to the pub where Kakashi and Gai sat there waiting with a pile of papers in black decorated with animal faces by sticking colour papers on them, but they just evilly smiled at him, making him feel curious and excited! Genma was a jovial character.

When the first bottle of wine was empty, they started to play the game. They explained the game. Just play who could give the fastest and correct answer for a math question. Whoever answered wrong had to drink and sign his name on the white square on the paper where the line 'I'm a stupid dog' (or cat or any animal depending on de decorations on the papers) was already written. They even had a childish stamp on it 'the Department of Animals'.

"We'll stick the papers on the bulletin board of the police station," Gai laughed. "Don't you dare?"

"Play! I'm smart!"

Kakashi played the judge, asked questions, judged who was faster, poured the wine and gave the paper for the loser. They joked a lot during the game and seemed to forget what they had planned until Zabuza lost patience when watching them from afar and decided to call Kakashi. It was just a stroke of sheer luck to create a proper atmosphere, and Genma already had an impression that the papers he signed had stupid stamps on them. The more he drank, the faster he signed. The red stamps on the squares gradually formed in his memory under the image of mere nonsense. He was drunk and carried away. Playing and signing. Laughing and laughing.

Gai drove Genma home. Successfully taking the one with the fake stamp of the Special Forces, Kakashi carefully put it into a folder. They started to stick the papers with true stupid stamps on Genma's house to prove their game, knowing that Genma would burn all of them, and there would be no evidence left. If we are caught, Kakashi thought, I will take the responsibility and tell them I fake it.

Arriving at Zabuza and Haku's house, they handed the paper to Haku, who meticulously peeled the decorations away, revealing the perfect blank form with the security strip and a signature. They started to type the permission based on the sample they had, allowing three men below to access the highly classified cases to reference an investigation.

They printed it out.

"Haku, count on you tomorrow."

"Don't worry. When you receive my message, just do the next step."

14.

Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai and Zabuza confidently entered the Database building, showing their ID cards, and the permission. The receptionist was a sweet lovely young woman who looked like a student rather than one of the staff in the most prominent building in this country. Three of them showed no worry, acting like they handed the authentic permission, calmly waiting for her to put it through a machine to check the security strip and the signature but indeed anxiously following every receptionist's movement.

"All checked," she smiled, calling for someone, and then a man came. "He will guide you to where you can access the information from the Special Forces."

The three men cheerfully screamed for success inside, sharing a quick eye contact that only they could understand, and followed the man assigned to guide them.

Taking the elevator to the second-highest floor, they walked through many security doors required fingerprints, facial recognition, hand geometry, iris recognition, retinal identification, and voice recognition. They stopped in front of the door.

"One reminder," the man said. "The Database is designed for viewing the classified files inside its building only and won't let you copy the information to bring back home. You will have a time limit for viewing it. Once time's up, the computer will shut down itself. Please prepare yourself. We'll scan you now. Please make sure no metal objects on your body. If the scanners produce a beeping noise, you will be rejected without any reason. We won't give a second check."

Once they passed it, the man gave them a code and silently withdrew from the room.

"We should be proud of the security check here," Gai breathed out.

Zabuza quickly took a seat, opened the computer, entered the code. 

Only 45 minutes.

Zabuza opened the folder of cases dealt by the Special Forces, and they felt they were dump. All they saw was the number and number.

"They named the cases with twelve-digit-number," Zabuza explained. "Which number, Kakashi?"

"I don't know," Kakashi rubbed his temple. "The number must be provided by the Special Forces, I think."

"We have only 45 minutes," Zabuza pointed at the right corner of the screen. "It's enough to view a case but definitely doesn't work when we have no clue of which number we want to view."

"Just quickly open them respectively," Gai suggested. "We don't have many choices. Inside each file must have the name. Try our luck!"

Zabuza opened them quickly from top to bottom.

"Not this one."

"Hm…not this one."

"Not this one, Zabuza."

After six files, Kakashi told Zabuza, "Open back from the beginning for me."

"Huh?!" Zabuza responsively did what Kakashi asked despite being confused.

"Do you notice it, Gai?"

"They sort the files in year order."

"But not month or day."

"But the number on the filename doesn't reveal a bit about the year. How can?" Zabuza frowned.

"We don't have much time. Ignore it."

"What is the year of that case?"

"Five years ago."

"The first file is the present year," Zabuza analysed. He then estimated and clicked randomly to a file far below it. "This is a year ago."

Zabuza kept estimating the number of cases each year, rolled down, clicking randomly to find the year they needed.

"Here!"

"Check it whether it's the first case placed in this year, Zabuza," Gai quickly said. "We must make sure no case is skipped."

"From here," Zabuza clicked and checked. "The above files belong to four years ago."

"We'll view all the files of five years ago until we find it," Kakashi calmly said.

And they started to view all of them. Time was running out. They only had fifteen minutes left.

"Found it."

"We don't have much time," Kakashi said. "Go to the photo folder."

"It looks terrible," Zabuza commented. "How could they step on the floor without affecting the scene? All blood."

Zabuza kept clicking next.

"Who killed these nine men?" Gai asked. "Impressive. Clean shot."

"Anko said he was a member of Special Forces," Kakashi said.

"Who?"

"They refused to reveal his name."

"The Special Forces always love playing alone," Gai complained. "Not fun."

"Stop there," Kakashi suddenly said.

"Why did you want to stop at this photo?" Gai frowned and grumbled. "Just a jade earing?"

Kakashi's voice was quite trembling, "Zoom it, Haku."

"This earing was bathed in blood," Zabuza commented. "Hm…dried blood makes the scratch here notable."

"It's not a scratch, Zabuza," Kakashi huskily said.

"Huh?"

"It's the moon," Kakashi dazed at the screen. "The moon, Zabuza."

"But why did they take a photo of a jade earing?" Gai asked. "Belong to whom?"

"Maybe the hostage," Kakashi said.

"The killer, Kakashi," Zabuza said, "not the hostage."

"How can you know?" Kakashi argued.

Zabuza pointed to the left corner of the photo, "Description here."

"A jade earing fell from the killer #10," Gai read the description line. "My! So they had ten in total? Not nine?! Who?"

"I think we can view the image of the killer by clicking on the #10," Zabuza explained. "It's underlined. It's linked to something."

"Click on it," Kakashi said after a while.

When Zabuza clicked on that number, Kakashi didn't dare to breathe, watching the mouse pointer move to the #10.

A click. 

"You do not have permission to access this information," the screen popped up short notice.

While Gai and Zabuza exclaimed in disbelief since they had tried a lot to get here but still got rejected, Kakashi stared at the notice for some seconds. He snatched the mouse out of Zabuza's hand, closing the case, opening another one. Gai and Zabuza didn't understand what Kakashi was doing.

And time was up.

They walked out of the room, feeling neither satisfied nor disappointed. Saying goodbye to the receptionist, they walked to the car park and got into the car where Haku was waiting.

"How was it?" Haku asked.

"Neither good nor bad," Zabuza started the engine.

Gai explained briefly to Haku, especially the jade earing photo.

"Three survivors, including one Special Forces member," Haku concluded what they told him. "Other two were lucky."

"They could be a couple," Gai laughed.

"What makes you have such a guess?" Kakashi promptly asked.

"It was White Day for lovers. A man is supposed to buy a gift for his girlfriend on such a day," Gai obviously replied.

Kakashi looked serious. 

"Ay ay," Gai laughed, tapping Kakashi's shoulder, "why do you look so serious? Young people sometimes love something ceremonious. Many even propose on that day."

Kakashi looked out the window.

"Kakashi, why did you close that case and open another?" Haku asked.

Kakashi, with one hand under his chin, still kept dazing into space out there, "The case I randomly opened allowed me to view the linked information. It only didn't allow me to view the survivors."

"Hm?" Haku, sitting in the front seat, turned his head to chat with Kakashi. "They want to protect survivors' identities, don't they?"

"But," Zabuza stopped the engine to talk, "if so, does it mean the killer #10 is alive? A killer shouldn't be protected that much. How could the Special Forces cover for her?"

"Her?" Haku asked.

"I think so," Zabuza said. "That jade earing looks very feminine."

"It's mysterious," Gai remarked. "What do you think, Kakashi?"

Kakashi just looked out the window.

"Kakashi!"

"I don't know, Gai. I indeed don't know."

"Do we need to access that file again?" Zabuza asked. "I remembered the file number."

Everybody looked at Kakashi. They got involved in this case too much that they forgot the primary purpose. It wasn't to teach the Special Forces a lesson. It wasn't to behold the Database building. It was Kakashi who asked for help. Friends were those who knew where to stop, not to pry information out of each other. More precious relationships required a more careful attitude and more respect.

"It was lucky that the lovely receptionist wasn't a pain," Kakashi sighed, giving his answer. "If we do it again, it's likely we will be caught."

"But I really want to have a vacation," Haku smiled.

"Drive us to the bar," Gai lighted up the atmosphere. "We'll drink for our victory."

When the car made its way out the car park, its people didn't know the lovely receptionist standing from afar watching them. The man who guided them walked towards her and stood behind her, murmured, "They accessed Lady Yamanashi's case."

The woman merely moved her head a bit, calmly commanded, "Call Lord Second."

14.

The next morning, walking to the police department, Kakashi saw Tobirama sitting on the bench in front of the building and chatting with someone.

"Lord Second," Kakashi greeted.

"Hatake," Tobirama nodded to the man who was standing as a signal to allow him to leave.

"It has been a while since I last saw you," Kakashi smiled. "Which wind brought you here?"

"Nothing important," Tobirama indifferently said, "Who am I to come here?"

"You were once the director of National Cyber Security Division," Kakashi respectfully said. "No one forgets it."

"Just once."

"You retired too early, Lord Second."

"Having a daughter causing troubles everywhere forced me to retire early to spend more time focusing on her."

"Hahaha," Kakashi laughed. "Sakura won't accept that title."

"I'll leave now," Tobirama said. "Sleep early. Don't be late for work, Kakashi."

Kakashi's swollen and puffy eyes with dark circles under them made him look like a panda.

"I was absorbed in a book last night," Kakashi rubbed his hair.

"Ah, I forgot one thing," Tobirama paused, "since she is living in your house, I don't need to drop by the hospital to give her this."

Tobirama took a bottle of colourful sweets out of the paper bag, "Could you help me give it to your daughter?"

Tobirama didn't wait for Kakashi's reply. Putting the bottle on the bench, he stood up and left. Kakashi didn't say anything. No goodbye. No promise. He just stood there, stared at the sweets bottle, and then turned his body to look at Tobirama's smaller and smaller figure.

Could you help me give it to your daughter?

Not to Yamanashi.

Not to Sakura.

But to your daughter.

She's your daughter, Kakashi.


	25. The Gravedigger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

1.

Uchiha Shisui felt bored to death because of his pig-like-lifestyle these days, so he usually took care of the garden, helped his mom clean the house, drove her to the supermarket to buy necessities or food. His parents' house had a garden, filled with lots of his mom's favourite vegetables and culinary herbs. She was a chef who had a habit of tasting everything before cooking, even chillies or limes (Shisui was still terrified to recall the images his mom took a bite of a lemon). To manipulate anything to become what one wants, one must know it well. This knowledge applies to every aspect of life. His mom tried planting some flowers only after getting to know Sakura since mysteriously flowers somehow could not stay alive under his mom's hands for too long. After she successfully planted some flowers, his mom was carried away and called everyone to inform that news. Women could enjoy topics that men could never understand. Only accepting it was a much faster and practical way instead of wasting time arguing. His father accidentally plucked a flower during devotedly pulling weeds, resulting in no lunch for both father and son, who then had to cook instant noodles instead.

Shisui was thinking a lot about the conversation he shared with Sakura some days ago when he came to the hospital for regular check.

Hm…

He heard Sakura was living in the Uchiha manor, and from his intelligence, Itachi was there too. Although his bad mood didn't fade a bit, he still ached to know Itachi's situation.

Itachi was his foolish little cousin no matter what.

Hence, on Thursday morning, after his regular check, instead of going back home at once as usual, he told the chauffeur (whom his parent hired to make sure that someone would be with him on the drive just in case his bullet suddenly messed him up) that he would stay in the hospital until noon so that the driver could have lunch without waiting for him.

While sitting outside Sakura's office to wait for the clock stroking at 12:00, he took out his picture book to kill time. Shisui had a collection of beautiful picture books, which many people asked him why he could always be enthralled with them until now. Well, adults assumed picture books were for children to learn educational lessons, but they were wrong. Children didn't have the concept of right or wrong but lived with a strong, sensitive sense of feelings and imitation, which was why parents who threw trash on the street could never teach their children to behave well despite their tirelessly drilling and lecturing their children. Educational lessons adults tried to jam in their children's heads through what they saw from books were also useless since what children saw was far beyond what adults who were dyed dirt by the complication of the society could understand.

Sakura's final patient of the morning shift left her office grumbling that the analysis she received was wrong. He heard Sakura reiterate that it was angina pectoris, not lung cancer, but the lady insisted on it. Finally, the lady angrily left, yelled to Sakura that the hospital was unreliable.

"What happened?" Shisui asked.

"She thought she had cancer," Sakura sighed. "I assured her many times, even running as many tests as she wanted to prove it, but she doesn't trust me."

"Huh? But how could she so sure that she had cancer?"

"She googled her symptoms," Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "People nowadays trust the information on the Internet more than anything else. If the information on the Internet is always right, I don't need to pass so many exams to be a doctor."

"Haha," Shisui laughed. "That is called the power of the unknown."

"Hm…," Sakura tapped her index finger on her chin, "just like the stupid information that human can only use 5-10% of the brain? My psychology professor and neuroscience lecturer used a whole lecture to trash that myth with logical arguments. He told us he woke up and suddenly found that information famous worldwide and got confused whether a genius had invented it that he didn't know. He even stated that he would sincerely have a debate with that genius if he found out who spread that news."

"It's like rumours, Sakura," Shisui playfully remarked. "Psychological reasons!"

"Huh? Did you learn Psychology like Naruto for the qualifying test?"

"I had to learn Psychology in the Special Forces, not only to pass the tests. Although we had a team of experts on criminal psychology, we still had to learn it."

"So back to our topic, rumours are quite different from what I mentioned," Sakura smiled, "but somehow they are related, and I still feel inspired. What is your opinion?"

"When people's mind is unbalanced," Shisui calmly analysed during the walk to the hospital restaurant, "they tend to seek and spread rumours. Rumour is unverified, so everyone can add anything they want without worrying about being attacked back and even can have a pleasure that they can twist things under their point of views. You see, when facing uncertainties, people tend to believe in rumours."

"Just like people trust the information on the Internet, right?" Sakura thoughtfully said. "People feel uncertain, and they will be scared. To avoid it, they will try to fill themselves with more information, but it only creates more fear."

"A rule here, Sakura," Shisui feigned mysterious as he was about to reveal the biggest secret in the world, "to create chaos, spread a rumour. People love to spread rumours which have nothing to do with their lives and find every way to know more about it, and they tend to believe in such. Humans attach to negative emotions much more easily than positive ones, so to manipulate them, spread anger and some terrible images with negative messages."

"Human is an animal of eyes, Shisui. I once saw people criticising a wolf eating his prey just because it looked bloody."

"We eat chickens," Shisui nonchalantly commented. "Many people hunt for fun; animals only hunt for food."

"But now we don't kill them by our hands anymore, and no blood is seen, Shisui. Or vaccines are created based on experiments on animals, and many people use them while judging that researchers are ruthless. They can only see the ones who hold the knife."

"Just like discrimination and many more acts of silent violence. No blood."

"I think so," Sakura inclined her head to show her agreement. "I really want to tell you many stories I have seen during my career, but I don't dare. It's hurt to hear."

"I have no fewer stories than you," Shisui stopped walking, silently looked into Sakura's eyes. "Those stories always make you question humanity, right?"

"Uh."

"Then why do you still believe in humanity, Sakura?"

"Why are you so sure that I still believe in it?"

"Because you're standing here, raising that question."

"I saw Shizune crying."

"Then?"

"Her tears, Shisui," Sakura paused, took a deep breath, tried to swallow what was pouring out, "her tears when she witnessed that scene...I mean...one of the stories I don't dare to tell you. Her tears are proof of humanity."

"But you two couldn't do much in that story, right?"

"Uh," Sakura sadly nodded. "But if I tell some people that story, they will judge Shizune and me. They will say that we should have done this or that."

"I can't save the world, Sakura. Neither can you. We can only do our best in our jobs. People don't have time to focus on their own lives while always think they can change the world by being loud and lecturing others, but in fact, they are nothing but putty in other people's hands. Those lecturing about charity usually don't donate a penny."

"Just trying to change your bad habits is hard enough," Sakura suddenly laughed, trying to light up their heavy atmosphere. "If you can't change yourself, how can you expect you can change the world? Many people want to sleep early but can't even change it."

"We work in the Special Forces, and sometimes many of us die when no one knows," Shisui said. "But every time anything happens, some reporters will direct anger towards us by writing scarifying essays. They act like they are intellects who stand for others. Sometimes I really want to snatch the mic and turn it to them, asking them whether they treat their family well, whether they sacrifice anything for this society. I know we will receive criticism when standing on such positions, but sometimes I just wish they could kindly let my friends rest in peace. My teammate died, and the media just ate on his flesh, or even worse, they tried to make his death beautifully historic by describing his whole life, painting some nonsense details of difficulties and compliments to catch people's attention in order to increase the view. The next three days, everybody forgot my teammate and chased after the other news. People are unknowingly drowned in the news but always proud to know the information on the surface. I don't ask them to remember him. He died. He was, is, and will always be loved by us. That's enough. But using him to boost the view is disgusting. The right to hold the mic is the right to ask questions. Everyone has the right to keep silent, but we can't. Even silence can be misinterpreted in such cases."

"Shisui," Sakura gracefully smiled, softly said. "I asked myself about the acknowledgement you once said. I have to thank you for that. I think my life will go on like that. Our fates inextricably intertwined with the world, and hence I believe in small things. Not throwing trash on the street is a good deed. Not saying hurtful words to others is a good deed. I don't dream of saving the world or changing the world by doing anything big and instant. I also don't have time for rumours. I have to focus on my work; I have my patients. I have to call Sasuke to check his bad eating habit, buy masks for Kakashi, clean the room and buy ramen cups for Naruto, visit my old father in the Senju manor, share sweets with you and Itachi, take care of my flowers, spend time for my hobbies. I have many people who love me, and my time for them is limited. My fathers will die someday. Even the time for my precious people is not enough, how can I have time for rumours? People are talking like they will live forever, Shisui. They forget their time on this planet is limited. Hm…and sleep. Sleep is crucial. You can judge a person's life quality based on sleep. A person who can't have a good sleep means there is some problem in life. Whoever has been worrying a lot will have a fitful sleep. I don't have time for rumours, Shisui."

"The more things you want to control, the more you can't sleep, Sakura," Shisui smiled like a brother seeing his younger sister finally mature. "Each thing has a problem."

"They say every person is a cell of a body which is the society," Sakura said. "To make a body healthy, the cells have to be healthy, Shisui. Each cell has its own function. If a cell chooses to stop doing its job and jumps to snatch another cell's job, the body will soon have problems. I will try to be a happy cell, doing my function well. Then I'll make the cells around me happy, and they will make others happy. I care for Sasuke's health. As long as he's healthy mentally and physically, he can focus on his business. If Sasuke's company is developed well, his staff can be guaranteed jobs. I believe in small things, Shisui. I do my job with all my heart, and it affects others."

"Just like you saved me, and I will save a lot of people." Shisui winked his right eye. "You saved a precious person."

"Hahaha."

"I also want to be a happy cell. You're not alone."

They came to the hospital restaurant, found a table, ordered food, and resumed their chat while waiting.

"To be a happy cell, one has to be grateful for everything one has," Shisui stated. "Now we are waiting for food, the best of the best worth grateful for."

"Many think they don't need to thank for such, Shisui. It's their money."

"In the medieval time, once famine happened, gold was useless. Nobody was willing to exchange a potato for a gold dish," Shisui analysed. "Even with money, it doesn't mean we should take everything for granted. Each grain in a bowl is the labour of others, and even if they argue it's the machine to do all the jobs, without the nurture of the earth, what can we have?"

"Agreed."

"Do you know anything about the Uchihas' clan history?"

"Huh?"

"We have a very famous patriarch, or more precisely, he is the most famous patriarch in our clan history. Sasuke was named after him."

"Wow," Sakura curiously exclaimed. "Patriarch Sasuke?"

"Hm," Shisui nodded. "But calling his name directly sounds quite disrespectful, and now Sasuke was named after him, so we just call him 'that patriarch' and all others will understand who we refer to."

"Then why did you mention him?"

"Our ancestors exiled themselves to the plateau. The Uchiha village that you have been was built around some hundreds of years ago. Our ancestors first lived in a higher region."

"The shrine?"

"That's right! Our ancestors exiled from the plain to the plateau, encountered many difficulties, especially the weather and soils. At that time, that patriarch realised that they had to rebuild everything by their own hands. But right at the beginning, on the plateau was nothing, which means food was extremely important, and they would live as a big family first. Gold was a heavy burden to bring to the plateau, Sakura, since no one lived there for them to exchange necessities, and my ancestors didn't want to lead a nomadic life. It was unstable. They wanted to settle down. That patriarch ordered to use gold to buy food, grains, and clothes before we moved to higher altitudes. Luckily, most of our clan men were soldiers who served in the military for centuries, so their health wasn't bad, but women and especially children were different. That's the reason why our clan has established a stringent rule on eating manners."

"Hm...and you can't boil water at high altitudes. But what about health? Changing altitudes can cause sickness; people are likely to prone to diseases when changing to a new environment, especially higher altitudes. You say no one was around, then what happened if someone were sick?"

"They had a doctor."

"Huh?"

"From your clan, Sakura."

"A Senju?"

"No, she wasn't. She just was taught Medicine by the Fifth Princess of the Senjus and became one of the most excellent apprentices at a very young age, but she was also that patriarch's betrothed. We don't know much about when she became his betrothed, but when our ancestors exiled themselves, she opted to go with that patriarch."

"Hey!!!" Sakura became excited. "Does it count that she betrayed the Senjus to go with her lover?"

Shisui gave Sakura a hopeless look, "How can you select the romantic detail from such a painful story that fast?"

"I don't care. What happened next?"

"Nothing."

"Huh???"

"She died young, Sakura. Just around three to four years after the exile. That patriarch became a patriarch at the age of twelve. In that era, thirteen was the age of maturity. The betrothed must have been around that patriarch's age, which means she died when she was an adolescent."

"Errhh," Sakura pouted. "So, nothing romantic?"

"Nothing," Shisui calmly replied. "She even didn't become a matriarch since her betrothed title remained until she died."

"When did that patriarch die?"

"Around 40."

Sakura became dispirited, "Nothing romantic means nothing interesting."

"Hahaha," Shisui laughed. "I told you that story with the purpose of proving that people should treasure food, not to tell you a romantic love story."

"Sasuke once made a clay pot with me," Sakura suddenly recalled. "Making something by your hands will teach you the art of treasuring things around you."

"When?"

"Hm…after we engaged. We had approximately 3 years before marriage, you know," Sakura sheepishly said. "Sasuke knew I loved childish things, so he spared some time to take me to a pottery barn, and we stayed there for two days."

"Normally, people will get married around one year after the engagement," Shisui smiled. "You two took 3 years."

"You should blame my father."

"Huh?"

"My father didn't allow us to get married at that time. He told me that an engagement to show sincerity was acceptable, but he asked me to spend more time with Sasuke before entering a marriage. He seriously advised me that I was still too young, so sharing time with Sasuke to check my feelings and get accustomed to each other's lifestyle would be better. I asked him how long he thought was enough for it. He told me about three years and said that he wouldn't interfere after that period."

"Check your feelings?"

"I quoted what he had said," Sakura confirmed, "Don't look at me like I made up the story. You know, my father has some opinions with your clan."

"Uh-huh," Shisui continued after a short exclamation. "Sasuke had no idea?"

"My father told me he would talk with Sasuke himself," Sakura took a small sip of water. "Sasuke's feeling for me was just much more than friendship. Having time to nurture love wasn't a bad idea. Three years is not long yet not short, but enough for us to learn how to live with each other. We're happy now."

"Lord Second's advice is always worth considering," Shisui jovially stated.

"Hm? I know you called my father Lord Second for comical relief with me," Sakura grumbled. "But what do so many people also call my father Lord Second? I've heard a lot since I lived in the Senju manor."

"I still call your father Lord Second when talking directly to him, Sakura. Everyone in this field got used to calling him so," Shisui tried to sort the information to explain, "But do you know the Database?"

"I know."

"Its system was created by your father."

"Then?"

"Now we don't have war by sending soldiers to the battlefield, Sakura. We are living in an era of technology. Who holds the data is the winner. In this hospital," Shisui lifted his head, pointing at the nearest camera on the ceiling, "there are many cameras. They record data, Sakura. Then you have them on the streets. Your ID is linked to everything, including your fingerprints, bank accounts, and travel history with faces recorded by the cameras. You store files on your computer, and your computer is connected to the Internet. Once you connect to the Internet, don't argue the so-called privacy. Read their terms of service, and you will see how they skillfully use your privacy while yelling 'we are respecting your privacy'. Besides, to hackers, those things are useless. And a hacker who works for the government is much terrifying since he has protection. When a person can access all the data effortlessly, one can do things beyond your imagination, Sakura. Your comments online can be used to analyse your behaviour and personality. The data of a person is a way to read a person. Once you can read it, you can manipulate that person since no one lives alone without connection with anyone. Your father's ability is…quite scary."

"Hm…"

"If anyone attacks the Database, our national security is at risk. It doesn't hold information about cases only. We need the information to track criminals, Sakura. They include your fingerprints, your names, or the information about faces when you walk across the road. Everything nowadays must be filed as evidence, just like your birth certificate, or a bigger thing like illegal contracts, which means you can't erase all the trace of your existence once you exist in this world. We can only access with permission, and even permissions have their rankings of classified levels, but if anyone takes that database, it's much devastating than you imagine. What your father has done is worth respecting," Shisui carefully explained in the easiest way for Sakura to understand just the visible part of an iceberg called 'What Tobirama can do'. "He just retired too early. But even though he stays at home, things he creates can be sold at a very high price."

"Hm?" Sakura looked confused. "He retired early?"

"Of course! He isn't old enough to retire yet."

"But he told me he was fired."

"What?!"

"He told me he had made a mistake, and his boss fired him," Sakura retold what her father sincerely confessed to her, "so he was unemployed; uncle Hashi called him to come to his company to work out of pity. He said that he only had his savings and inheritance property to raise me to the university and advised me to go to work to earn money so that I could take care of him if he couldn't work for uncle Hashi anymore."

"…" Playing Sakura is fun, he admitted. But how could he lie to his daughter to such an unbelievable level? Who dares to fire Tobirama?

Sakura pouted, "Even my father tricked me!"

"In that case, don't tell him Shisui told you," Shisui tried to control his laughter.

Sakura pouted again.

They had to stop for food served with the beverages they had ordered. Silence dominated the conversation since Shisui didn't speak while eating. After 15 minutes, they resumed the conversation while enjoying their drinks.

"But why not Lord First?" Sakura continued her question.

"Your father has a brother."

"Then uncle Hashi is Lord First?"

"No," Shisui shook his head, "to show full respect to your father, people will avoid calling your father's name directly, but addressing by family name is not appropriate since your clan, as my clan, is huge. You see, the butler calls your mother-in-law Lady Mikoto, not Lady Uchiha like outsiders. Hence, whoever knows your father well enough will call him following the order in the family. Your father is also famous for loving your uncle, so to respect the order, they call him Lord Second since he is the second son. Just like in the ancient time, we have Princess of the First Rank, Princess of the Second Rank."

"Complicated."

"I heard that you were living in the Uchiha manor," Shisui changed the topic. "How is it going?"

"Don't remind me of that painful truth."

"Huh?"

"Itachi issued an order to jail me," Sakura complained.

"But you're here." Shisui drank his matcha latte beautifully in green by the straw, raising his eyebrows, showing his request for more information.

"More precisely, he issued an order to limit my freedom."

"Limit your freedom?"

"Uh," Sakura spooned a raspberry out of her Drink Pink Mocktail glass and put it into her mouth, nodded her head.

"What did you do?"

"How could you ask me such a question?!" Sakura sent Shisui a hurt look.

"What should I ask then?"

"You should condemn Itachi for limiting my freedom! What you asked me was exactly the same what Sasuke did! Nobody takes my side!!!"

"Hahaha," Shisui laughed, "Itachi doesn't do anything without reason."

"I'll stand for my own freedom," Sakura determinedly said. "The Uchiha zoo has a weasel who is a dictator!"

"Uchiha zoo???" Shisui laughed his head off. "How could you invent that word? Let me jot it down!"

"Just know laughing and laughing," Sakura grumbled. "My lost freedom is a joke!"

"Itachi only wants to protect you," Shisui smiled, "and you know that. If Itachi doesn't like someone, he won't mind saying a word about that person. Scolding you is also because he cares for you. Many people even wish that Itachi scolded them like the way he did to you."

"I know."

"But still have to take revenge?"

"Of course!" Sakura stated. "But he is like a stone, and I'm an egg. Throwing myself to him is stupid. I'll be at risk of losing the battle. I still have to behave like a good animal in a zoo now, racking my brain to think about how to plan a breakout."

"Good luck to you!" Shisui laughed then silently stirred the latte, looked at the spoon moving with his hand, softly asked. "How is the weasel in the zoo?"

"Itachi?" Sakura nonchalantly told Shisui what she knew. "Healthy. Hm…but I haven't seen him much recently. We're having a fight."

"But you had to face him at dinner, right?"

"No," Sakura shook her head, "he hasn't come home for dinner these days."

"Huh?"

"Hm…," Sakura thought hard for a while. Shisui didn't like Yoko; should she tell him? Or was this a chance to change Shisui's opinion towards Yoko?

"What made you think so hard?"

"Hm…," Sakura tilted her head. "He has had dinner with…his wife outside the manor. You know…a way to nurture intimacy between husband and wife."

"Uh-huh," Shisui looked so calm that Sakura couldn't discern anything. "That's it?"

"Uh," Sakura nodded, "I don't know much. They usually come back home after I go to sleep."

"That's late?" Shisui sounded surprised.

"Uh."

"Every night?"

"Uh."

"What time does Itachi wake up?"

"How do I know?" Sakura took a bite of her cake. "I'm not his babysitter, and I don't have breakfast with him, either."

"He has been investing lots of time for his wife, huh?"

"Hm…," Sakura carefully looked at Shisui. "They are husband and wife, Shisui. Enjoying time together is good."

"Have you ever had a chance to talk with his wife?" Shisui indifferently asked.

"Hm…sometimes."

"What do you think about her?"

"Hm…a mild elegant lady."

"That's it?"

"Uh."

Silence resumed.

"Shisui…"

"Hm?"

"If you want to talk to Itachi, why don't you go to the manor to see him?"

"Huh?"

"I feel so."

"Feel what?"

"I feel you care for him, but you seem…hm…not fond of his wife much. I mean…why don't you come to see him yourself, or…even his wife. Maybe…it will change the way you think."

Shisui sighed when recalling this. Even Sakura could see he didn't like Yoko; did he overreact? Poor Shisui! He was an elite member of the Special Forces, and thus he knew how to hide his thoughts excellently. Sakura interpreted his actions and even his silence with the premise that he didn't like Yoko, whereas Shisui was relaxed when talking with his friends. He didn't overreact.

When Shisui asked Sakura what time Itachi woke up, it wasn't a typical question. Itachi was the heir, and the heir was extremely busy. To visit Shisui when he was hospitalised, Itachi had to finish his papers earlier by staying up late some days before to maintain his work on track. Even Sasuke advised that Izumi should let Itachi rest at just 9:00 p.m. They all knew Itachi had his duty. And now Sakura told Shisui they went out every night and came back the manor too late that she had already enjoyed her sleep, which meant Itachi woke up much earlier to deal with his work. Shisui was indeed unhappy to hear such news, for it proved Yoko didn't think for Itachi a bit. One or two nights might be acceptable, for as Sakura said, they were husband and wife, but straining Itachi in such a long time was beyond his imagination. Did it mean Itachi was earnest in his relationship now?

Sometimes Shisui thought he acted like a hen to Itachi. Sakura might be stubborn and credulous; she might childishly ignore Itachi for a whole week so that he laughed at Itachi every time he had a chance, and a calm, refined man like Itachi would rudely reject his calls since he knew his best friend's purpose was to make fun of him. Shisui indeed felt very happy for Itachi whenever he received a message from Sakura, condemning Itachi for this and that, and he would smile while staying with a bundle of hopeless single men in his squad, who would tease him that he had a secret lover.

After all, Sakura knew very clearly when to keep silent for Itachi to work, when to bother him, and when to find her perverse pleasure in bickering Itachi. She avoided burdening him. When two people truly loved each other, it wasn't a story of two hungry babies crying for attention but of two people thinking for each other. The more they loved, the more careful they were. They would be worried about making the other sad or concerned; that was why some of them chose to hide their problems.

Many people thought love was a saviour for everything, but in fact, each person had one problem, then two people had two problems. Love didn't solve anything. Problems still stayed there waiting for their owners to solve themselves. Love taught people to understand each other, to be more forgiving, not to be more selfish, and no one would be a wastebasket for the other to throw the trash into his or her. For true love made lovers feel heavy if seeing the other suffer. So why did Yoko not see that? Or she didn't know?

Once a man really recalled and thoughtfully thought of all mistakes he had made in life, he would suddenly realise the root of his various errors was the same. Some people took the test, chose the right answer, then corrected it, and then did it wrong. And every test went in such a direction that even the test takers noticed it but couldn't refrain themselves from correcting and making mistakes. Or some people used a whole life to regret since they met lots of opportunities but let them fly away right in front of their eyes because of hesitation. The root of problems didn't lie in the outer world; it lay within. Once people tried to blame the world, they could never solve their own problems; realising a problem, like Sakura found it hard to control her emotions, was not easy, and changing it was much harder. Yet, seldom did anyone realise it, then they even lost the chance to think about how to solve it. Why did Itachi not see the root of his mistakes?

When Itachi married Yoko, Shisui got furious, but after all, what could he do?

Accepted.

He could only accept it and hope. Again. It was hope that carried much disappointment. What Itachi did now was nothing different from what he used to do when the two first married. The only difference was, well, according to what Itachi explained, Yoko agreed to cooperate.

He remembered a time when he attended a clan reunion. He eagerly took a dish of sweets that he had stolen from the clan elders to share with Itachi right in front of everyone. Itachi didn't eat sweets in such cases. He knew, but since the clan members all knew he was Itachi's best friend, and Itachi would eat some 'reluctantly' to make him happy, and the clan elders would laugh at them while they both secretly knew each other's move. Itachi's face trying to show a reluctant attitude on the surface while enjoying them deep down always made Shisui evilly laugh inside. At that time Yoko stood next to his foolish cousin, she said, "You must be his best friend. He tolerates sweets to please you."

Such a mild sweet comment froze Shisui. They were married for three months, and she didn't even know Itachi had sort of sugar addiction. Itachi only ate sweets at home, so would that house be considered a home if he didn't eat sweets there? Or because Itachi tried to cover it? Nevertheless, if he worked devotedly to form a friendship and maintain their marriage, why did he prevent her from knowing that? Or just simple Yoko didn't notice. Those in love had an eagle eye, catching things in a pretty surprisingly meticulous way. Living with each other for a long time enough even could help them guess what the other person wanted just merely based on a look.

Okay. They didn't love each other, so why did he ask such a stupid question?

"You are a selfish picky man now, Shisui," he told himself.

Shisui didn't like Yoko not just because of that story. They didn't love each other, so staying friends like Itachi explained was an acceptable solution. Yet, all Shisui had witnessed was that she acted the whole time during the clan reunion. How could a person never treat others with her true face? Kindness was a good way to enter a relationship. One treated others with compassion, and they could feel it. Humans were animals capable of love. Kindness melted everything. In the ancient time, there were many similar stories about a ruthless man who killed lots of people but could not refuse an innocent smile of a little girl who gave him a wildflower she plucked on the field. Yoko gave a superficial impression of warmth and friendliness to anyone who first met her, but not Shisui. This woman made him feel uncomfortable at first sight. Shisui always felt that beneath her refined manners and superficial elegance, she was a highly venomous snake. And then it reached the height of no trust and no hope when he noticed she enjoyed talking with people outside the clan with the voice of sweet authority. It would be much better if she were a cold lady towards everyone or just an ordinary person who enjoyed her own life, not caring about Itachi. The problem of Itachi's marriage didn't lie in whether Itachi loved her or not but the question of morality.

If only she treated Itachi with the position of a regular friend. Shisui didn't expect much. He, of course, hoped Itachi would have a peaceful life. A happy ending with the girl he loved would never occur to Itachi since she came and went away. He knew Itachi's heart, like other Uchihas', could only embrace one person with whom he allowed himself to fall in love. Uchihas' hearts were so small that they could contain a few people.

Although he and Itachi advised Sakura a lot to continue her studies and usually shared time together for a picnic if all had free time, he didn't know much about their relationship or why and when Itachi started to write a love story with Sakura. Itachi kept everything in secret that no one could sense anything. Their friendship officially began when Sakura was 16. Then after a year or more, just on one beautiful day, he accidentally stepped into his house.

That was it.

And on another beautiful day, Itachi told him he was in love.

He only knew Itachi was serious about this relationship with the evidence that Sakura wearing his jade earrings. That pair of jade earrings had been inherited down the ages; no one knew its origin, but it was at least a thousand years old since the first record of its existence was in the left hand of Patriarch Sasuke when he died with his will to let it pass down within the head family, and thus, it had been in official use for the heirs' wives of every two generations and was given to the heir after the current user died, so commonly it took two generations, from grandpa to grandma, and from grandma to grandson, then from grandson to grand-daughter-in-law. Itachi got it from his grandma at the age of fifteen. They hadn't got married yet, but he gave it to her, only proved that Itachi did seriously think of marrying her. He let Sakura wear the earrings to cause troubles everywhere, dancing from her school to her labs, from her labs to the hospital, from the hospital to her two homes.

Shisui sometimes tried to put his thoughts straight. He was always capable of embracing a candid conversation with Itachi, what made them walk to such a step? Why did he not support Itachi in this matter? It was his matter, after all. Itachi said nothing wrong. Right at the very beginning, Uchiha Shisui didn't have the right to interfere in his little cousin's personal life.

But why did he grow more apprehensive day by day?

Or as Sakura said, he could try to have a talk with Itachi.

Or as Izumi said, just don't ignite the argument.

As long as Itachi treasured their friendship, he didn't need to overreact.

Just like when he was assigned to a mission, he knew he would use his gun. Some steps couldn't be reversed once they were made. Just like the car rolled its wheels, even braking required time.

Itachi was driving over the limit.

Braking suddenly harmed him.

But was there anything called braking in time when the driver didn't realise the danger of his journey?

2.

On Sunday, Uchiha Shisui came to the Uchiha manor in a late afternoon — when Sakura had already left the manor.

"Sir Shisui," the butler smiled, courteously bowed his head slightly. The man standing in front of him now was Mister Itachi's best friend and a 'patron' here; the butler had known him since the fire, so his manners were lax yet without impoliteness.

"Where is Itachi?"

"Mister Itachi isn't here now," the butler replied. "Do you need me to call Mister Itachi?"

Shisui was always an honoured visitor whom the butler listed in the top priority to serve.

"No need to do so," Shisui sat down, "I have time. I can wait. But where is he?"

"Mister Itachi took Lady Yoko to a party this morning."

"When will he come back? At night?"

"No, sir," the butler looked at his watch and smoothly answered. "They will come back in some minutes, sir."

"Uh-huh," Shisui didn't pursue any further. "You can leave to do your job now. I don't bother you."

The butler bowed his head and withdrew from the living room. As a butler in this manor, he remembered all the prominent members' favourite foods and beverages. He quickly called for a maid to make a matcha latte for Shisui with some fruits, carefully reminding the maid that Shisui was an honoured guest and told her to call him whenever Sir Shisui asked for anything.

The maid carefully placed a glass of matcha latte and a dish of fruits that were peeled skins off and sliced into beautiful shapes, then she stepped backwards and maintained a distance from Shisui.

"You are new here," Shisui made an astute observation.

"Yes, sir."

Shisui could judge from her seriousness in keeping the distance. Normally old maids would act more naturally without caring such details since the rules were a part of them.

The maid surreptitiously watched Shisui. Sir Shisui was handsome; the genes of the Uchihas could make people jealous. She blushed, but then quickly dismissed her crazy thoughts. The housekeeper's lecture on her first day of work still echoed in her head:

"Do you know where you are standing? Don't overthink. What I am reminding you is not this is a rich family or whatsoever. This is your workplace. You come here to work. That's it. Bear it in your mind. I don't have much to tell you about the punishment here since we are not interested in punishing others. I'm busy. You passed many tests to serve here, and thus, I don't worry about your skills. In fact, breaking one or two dishes or splitting water on the floor is not big deal. Just some dishes, or a floor, compared with a human, your life is more precious. You won't receive reprimand because of accidentally making mistakes. But you will be fired if you do two things — first, gossip about people in this manor, second, love or seduction. This is your workplace. I reiterate. We don't reproach you in the two situations I mentioned. What waiting for you is termination only. Reprimand can lead to hatred. After you hate someone, you can do horrifying things when you have a chance. After you love someone but receive nothing in return, you might change to hate him or even those he loves. People consumed by negative feelings will soon do terrible things. Just a rumour spread by someone can lead to a chain of consequences. I am busy and don't have time for such games. Who knows somebody will use you to attack this manor when you hate us? About seduction, know your position. What I mean is not you must feel you are lower than others. A farmer who grows his vegetables without overusing pesticides makes his job precious. Everyone has their own jobs, and they are precious as long as it's done with sincerity. You come here to be a maid, then focus on your job. Once you desire someone, hardly can you hide it, so trust me, once I find out, termination. Here we trust each other. We hire you, then we trust you. Once we feel we can't trust you, termination. At that time, we will pay according to the contract that we are the ones who break the contract first. Some money to sweep away suspicious people is worthwhile."

The housekeeper continued, "A piece of good news for you: We fire you right after we find out, but if you can continue your love affair after termination, it is not our business. In case you succeed in becoming the wife of any guest who comes here or even the Uchiha, congratulations! When you come here next time, you will become my beloved guest. But let me share something with you: Rich men aren't stupid. If you think you can seduce them by your beauty, remember that they have seen many beautiful women before you. Besides, how long can your beauty last? If you think you just need huge money for a short time when you're still young and beautiful, ask yourself why many criminals cannot rehabilitate after being released from prison. Humans is a creature of habit. Climbing from poverty to luxury is easy to adapt. Climbing from luxury back to poverty is extremely hard. Once you have a habit of using money freely without working, don't expect yourself to come back and find a proper job after all. Once you treat yourself as an object that can be exchanged for money, don't expect others to respect you as a human. An object can be sold, resold, and thrown away. If you argue that is your true love, congratulations! Bring your love affair out of this workplace, get it? People usually say money can't buy happiness; let me add another sentence; without money, you can't even have a chance to reach happiness. You don't have money, then no food, no food, then no energy. Without energy, I challenge you to talk about love. Lack of money inclines people towards crime. Many people kill their family after losing a job; it has a reason behind. Here you have a much higher salary than other places. You won't receive severe reprimand just because the old maids want to show off their authorities on you. No such cases exist here. We're looking for loyal maids who can work for a long time here. If you do your job well, you're guaranteed. Every year I always have to repeat this boring speech, but many didn't listen. Between having a proper job and your secret love affair, think carefully. A man has legs to run whenever he likes; your money in your bank account is forever under your name. When you receive the termination, don't cry to me or say anything like there is a misunderstanding. I have attended many more funerals than you. Don't try to trick me. I warn you. Respect your own body; enjoy the money you get from your own labour and spend some days-off with your friends or lover. We have staggered your working days so that each person has two days off. If your family has some emergencies, come to tell me directly. That's it. Simple! Gossip, termination. Love affairs involved, termination. The rules here are simple. We don't have time for anything called punishment, reproach, or suspicion. Only termination. Bear it in your mind."

Consequently, the maid was really careful with her conduct. She noticed some maids entering this manor some weeks ago at the same time as she had disappeared. The salary here was much higher than other places, and in fact, her working load and pressure from the old maids or anyone who was in higher positions wasn't much, but she had to admit that refraining from gossips and imaginative story about a happy ending with some guests here was much harder.

After a while, some people walked down from the stairs, carefully carrying tables and chairs. They lifted them and disappeared after the living room's door opened for them by two other servants.

"Wait!" Shisui called the maid. "What are they doing? Why are they moving furniture in Itachi's room?"

"We are decorating Mister Itachi's room again, sir."

"Then what will they do with the old furniture?" Shisui frowned. "They're wooden furniture in good condition."

"I don't know much, sir," the maid said. "But it will be moved to the recycling area. I heard a servant say that they would call a truck to take the thrown away furniture today."

"Who gave this order?" Shisui could guess the answer, but he still tried to ask with a little hope to prove him wrong.

"Lady Yoko, sir."

"Since when did this manor's people live in such wasteful luxury?"

The maid didn't say anything. She wasn't allowed to comment on what people in this manor did. Silence was an intelligent choice.

"Itachi allowed it?"

"Yes, sir."

Shisui patiently drank his favourite matcha latte, which was unknowingly tasteless to him, waiting for Itachi to come back. Watching people carry this and that to throw away, Shisui felt he shouldn't be here.

And he caught a glimpse of familiar things.

A servant ran to another servant who was carrying a carton with small things inside, called him to stop. In his hand were the two round filled throw pillows in green and pink already packed in a plastic bag; he tossed them into the carton. It hurt Shisui's eyes, but he didn't say anything. No one could read anything from an elite member of the Special Forces when he didn't show it.

Itachi allowed his beloved wife to throw his and Sakura's birthday gift. Damn you, Itachi!

Later, when new furniture started to enter the manor, Shisui stood up and told the maid that he would walk around the manor and that she didn't need to go with him. He walked for a very long road, through the garden, to the recycling area, where all trash would go and be sorted meticulously before being sent away.

Uchiha Shisui now was a trash panda. Luckily for him, furniture was quite a lot and not as small as other trash; they were obviously there. And he just walked and jumped around to find the pillows, and even thought of a possibility that maybe they were relatively small and could be tossed to the trash can, so he changed his target there for clawing and scrabbling. Finally, he found his pillows after opening all the bags. After returning the mess he had created to its first look, holding the two pillows in his hands, he found a bag to put them in and walked to the garage under the sunset. Shisui just simply knocked on the window, and the chauffeur opened the door, surprised to see his master be back earlier than expected.

"Nothing," Shisui said, giving him the bag. "Put them next to you. I'll go back there."

Shisui walked away without explanation, wandered here and there in the garden far away from the main manor with Toru and Kesu before returning to the living room. He heard some voices there.

"I'm sorry."

It was that actress's voice.

"I don't know you like those pillows," Yoko apologetically said. "Are the pillows important to you?"

It meant that Itachi was there also. Shisui stopped walking, quietly standing behind the door. He heard his best friend's familiar voice, "No, they are just normal pillows. You don't have to be sorry for it."

And Shisui turned away, walked towards the garage, asked his chauffeur to drive him back home.

3.

Uchiha Shisui woke up early this morning, starting his new day of the new week with his healthy routine. Having a small breakfast to supply himself energy to begin his morning running 45 minutes later. After finishing his small breakfast, he came back to his room, turned on the desk lamp, took the new picture book written by his favourite author to read. She was a mysterious author who loved to narrate a story without proper beginnings and endings. The book was out last week. He did want to share this book with Itachi yesterday.

At its back cover, the introduction wrote, "Once upon a time, there was a prince. He took his beloved princess to the forest. They strolled along the riverside in the mist. The prince kissed on his princess's forehead, telling her to wait for him. The princess stood there, watching the figure of her beloved prince vanish into the mist. She stood there waiting for him, but he never came back."

Shisui stared at the picture painted in watercolour fixed the two pages with the figure of the man swallowed by the mist and the back of the woman wearing a dress embroidered with flowers.

Feeling lost.

Before leaving the main manor, he had called the new maid and told her, "If the butler asks where I am, tell him that I received a call from my family and that I have to go back home."

Itachi did call him back when he was in the car, asking him whether there was anything important. Itachi's voice was as calm as he was, but Shisui did sense the delight in it. Nothing was important, Itachi, Shisui thought. He indeed just came to see him with an extemporaneous speech. It was indeed nothing important.

"Nothing, Itachi," Shisui replied, glancing at the pillows. "I just came to tell you that I was ready to be back to the Special Forces."

He lied. Izuna still treated him like an injured animal needing pampering.

Itachi didn't say anything for a while. On the other side of the phone was a painfully heavy silence.

"Take care, Shisui."

"Thanks."

That was their final words sent to each other.

Shisui sighed.

He looked at the clock, closed the book, put it back to the bookshelf. Changing into his sportswear, Shisui ran to the park near his house, trying to concentrate on his steps.

When he ran back home, the sky was ready for breaking dawn. He walked towards his moss green sofa, stood a meter away from it, beheld the green and pink pillows sitting next to each other there.

The morning light filtered through the curtains, shined on his figure, created a black shadow stretching on the sofa and the pillows. Intuitively, he felt this scene was heartrending to behold.

"Do you feel sad?" Shisui asked the pillows with a wry smile. "Your owner feels you two are unimportant."

He stepped a few steps closer, kneeled down, stroked the two pillows with his two hands, "Stay here with Shisui, the selfish picky man. It's okay. Don't feel that sad. Don't be sad, okay?"

4.

On Saturday afternoon, Itachi came back home with Yoko. It was some hours after Sakura brought Toru and Kesu her stuffed animals. When he entered the living room, Kesu and Toru even didn't care about him. These two dogs usually loved to seek attention from him, especially Kesu, but now they behaved very strangely. He saw Toru was biting something white while Kesu lay his head on something red. Walking towards them to find out what they were, he glanced at the butler, and they exchanged some brief complicated information.

Itachi smiled.

"These dogs are cute," Yoko mildly said. "Is it the reason why your mood changes?"

Itachi shifted his focus to Yoko.

"You smile."

"Hm! They're cute," Itachi didn't bother hiding his good mood.

When they were walking up the stairs to his room, Itachi noticed the butler still followed him, which meant another thing was waiting for him.

And when he saw the decal on the door, Itachi really stood there without a word.

"Who stuck the decal on the door?" Yoko turned to the butler, demanding an answer.

The butler didn't answer right away, kept his head incline, stared at the floor. He was waiting.

Since Itachi said nothing, Yoko reached out her hand to peel it off, but Itachi grasped her wrist.

"Just leave it there," he calmly said. "It's cute."

Yoko stopped.

Itachi told Yoko that he had some work to deal with, so he simply walked to his study after her meekly nod. Yoko, still standing there, glanced at the butler who was about to leave, "Who visited this manor this morning?"

The butler turned to her, bowed his head, respectfully replied, "Dear Lady Yoko, Mister Itachi's relatives and their kids came here for a short visit this morning."

"And you allowed them to stick the decal?"

"I'm in no position to interfere in what the Uchihas do, Lady Yoko," he calmly said.

"You can leave."

"Thank you for your understanding," the butler bowed his head, stepped back one step, and turned away.

Yoko looked at the decal. It was an illustration of a sunny sided egg like a wheel crushing a weasel with stars spinning around its head.

It was too outstanding on the dark reddish-brown mahogany wood door. It made her feel uncomfortable.

5.

Next morning, while Itachi was in his study, Yoko led a maid and a servant to Itachi's room. Last night, Itachi already gave her the right to change the room to what she liked. Along with an agent from decor design company, the maid and the servant took notes of what Yoko told them, from changing this one to that one. The agent brought with him an iPad to show Yoko the samples that he thought would be fit with her taste.

Before she allowed them to leave and prepare to change what she had mentioned, Yoko suddenly stopped right at the grey sofa with three throw pillows on it. She just suddenly remembered an interesting conversation with Sakura a long time ago.

"Don't change the sofa," Yoko authoritatively said.

"But it doesn't match your favourite palette," the agent advised.

"In a room, something outstanding looks good, though," she smirked sweetly, then turned to the maid and the servant, "but green and pink don't suit the style of this room, especially the sofa. Just keep the white one. Throw the other two away."

The maid and the servant quickly jotted down.

"Also," Yoko added. "I don't like the colour of that door. Change it into something creamy white or yellowish hue."

"May I ask whether it is okay for us to change from mahogany to pinewood?" the agent respectfully asked. Mahogany was one of the most treasured woods, whereas pine wood was relatively inexpensive.

"Anything with light tone is okay. I'll leave here with Itachi for lunch and be back in the late afternoon," Yoko caressed her bracelet. "Make sure you finish everything before I come back."

6.

Uchiha Itachi came back the manor with his wife in a late afternoon.

When they came in, the maid bowed to both and said to Yoko, "We already changed the room as you required."

Yoko smiled, "Great," then turned to Itachi, "do you want to have a look with me?"

The butler entered, about to inform Itachi that Sir Shisui paid a visit and was wandering around the manor's garden, but since his Mister walked with his Mister's wife, listening to her talk, interfering was so impolite that the butler decided to shut his mouth up, followed them to find a chance to talk with his Mister.

The door was replaced with a new one, so the decal with the old door was gone. Itachi didn't say anything, but when Yoko showed him the room with a completely new design, he suddenly remembered something and promptly looked at the sofa.

"Where are the other two throw pillows?"

"I feel they don't suit this room's palette, so I ordered them to throw them away."

Itachi hurriedly turned to ask the butler, "Where does the old furniture go?"

"They will be sent to the recycling area as other trash, Mister Itachi."

Itachi didn't care anything, running to the recycling area at once. The butler ran after him, leaving Yoko there. And the recycling area welcomed another trash panda who didn't care about his position, scrabbling the trash cans, but he found nothing. Itachi looked around just to realise one problem, "Why is no old furniture here?"

The butler worriedly looked at his Mister, "Mister Itachi, we made an appointment for two pick-ups this morning. Maybe they came and took them away a moment ago."

"Call them for me!" Itachi hurriedly said. "Tell them I want two round filled throw pillows in green and in pink back."

The butler quickly called the person responsible for this area, and that person presented himself with the fastest speed, calling for the company. Just some minutes passed, and they received an answer that they found nothing in the latest truck, and maybe the pillows were sent away in the early afternoon, which meant they were already sent to the trash recycling centre.

Itachi heard that news with a blank face.

"Do you need us to try asking the trash recycling centre?" the butler asked, worriedly when seeing his Mister's blank face. "Maybe they could help us?"

"No," Itachi shook his head. "It bothers them."

And Itachi, carrying his solemn mood, quickly regained his composure. He walked back to the main manor.

When Yoko asked him that question, things were done. Why did he need to blame her when he was the one who forgot to tell her about this? Yoko didn't know that Shisui never bought him a birthday gift before. They were men. Days passed, and special days were treated as normal days. When they had free time, a call for a drink would be enough. No gift. No cake. Shisui only bought the pillows for him when Sakura suggested her childish plan.

Later, when the butler told him Shisui had visited, Itachi was indeed really happy. It was delightful to hear Shisui come here; it had been a long time he didn't dare to call a bad mood Shisui. He would call Shisui and confess to him his mistake, and Shisui would sneer at him and feign being angry.

But all he received was just an announcement.

When Shisui was on a mission, he could only receive text messages.

Suddenly Itachi felt so lost.

7.

Yoko wore a silk button-down nightgown in white, sat on the bed, dried her hair while Itachi already lay on the bed reading a book. The room was imbued with a pellicular mixture of the hairdryer's noise and the sparse rattling turning page sound. When she turned off the hairdryer, the room sank into silence. They had been spending nights like this — an elegant woman and a handsome man silently sharing the same bed.

When she opened the blanket, crawled inside, lay next to Itachi, as predicted, Itachi closed his book, put it neatly on the bedside table, took the remote to turn off the lights.

And as darkness covered the room, Yoko suddenly turned to hug Itachi's body, which Itachi didn't say anything. Not embracing back. Not pushing her away.

"Itachi…"

"Just say it."

But Yoko didn't say anything. She sat up, quietly looking at Itachi. Under the dim light from the nightlight, Itachi saw Yoko moved her hands to unbutton her nightgown. When the third button was undone, Itachi reached out his hand, held Yoko's wrist, calmly said, "We discussed this matter before."

"I know," Yoko mildly responded.

"Then button up and go to sleep."

"But I want to have a child with you," Yoko looked straight into Itachi's eyes. In the dim light, everything seemed so vague, so incomprehensible. "That's…also my duty, right?"

Itachi said nothing.

"Can you give me a child?"

"Not now," Itachi relinquished her hand.

"Then, when?"

"We talked about it before," Itachi patiently replied in a never-changing voice, calm, fresh, and coldly warm. "You want to begin again, and I think it's okay. To begin again, we have to respect each other and move slowly."

"But I'm afraid…"

Itachi didn't say anything after Yoko trailed off.

"Itachi," Yoko murmured in the darkness. "I don't know how to keep you stay by my side. You are like the wind, hard to grasp. A child…"

"A child is not a tool for anything."

"I…"

"Lie down," Itachi softly said. "When the right time comes, you'll get what you want."

Yoko meekly lay down, resting her head on the pillow. This time, Itachi took the initiative to hug her, stroking her hair until she slept.

He looked at the woman lying next to him, pondered.

This woman…

This woman's feeling for him…

Changed.

8.

Uchiha Itachi woke up when the morning sky was still sinking in its silent sleep. He looked at Yoko, who was sleeping next to him, generated her body heat to the blanket they shared. She was his wife, a human, made of flesh and blood, a woman in a marriage of convenience but still trying to begin again with a man who she knew that he didn't love her. This marriage was maintained on a thin thread made of love and supported by two trunks as thick and heavy as…the pain.

Itachi got out of bed, walking with his bare feet to the bathroom. This year's weather was harsher than last year; the floor infused him with the cold, but he still could make his steps firm. It was as though he was insensible to either pain or cold. If someone dismantled his body, what could they see? Would it be sagacious to open his heart to see whether anything was left? Or did it beset him more?

He turned on the hot water, standing under the shower to feel every needle of water tapping on his skin and broken into some transparent pins, pitter-pattered, hitting on the bathroom floor. Pain made one feel alive.

Memories stole over him, threatening to drench him with sweets and knives. He hoped time would efface them, and he assumed it had done successfully. But why did they come back and attack him with clearer images?

Amidst the silent, broken chant, he heard the voice springing to take control of the bathroom, resonating through space. His memories were once as luscious and fragrant as dangos; he was their owner. On the ship were the captain and his old untold stories. The captain sailed his boat far away from the world of men, but one day his comforting food suddenly took the wind out of his sail, and his memories were in the saddle and kept a tight rein on its captain. The captain turned to be a loser.

"Itachi! You don't need to be pedantic."

"You're still young."

"I am a Medicine student. I have seen so many naked two-leg-animals that I have no feeling with them!!!"

"If everything is the same, why are you insisting on a two-leg-animal like me?"

"You're different!"

"If I'm different, I should be treated differently."

"Itachi! Are you afraid of losing your virgin if I see you naked!?!"

"You're 17."

"I'm nearly 18."

"In this country, 20 is the age of maturity."

"Does it mean you will strip off your clothes in front of me when I reach the age of 20?"

"A courteous lady shouldn't talk in such manners."

"You're talking like you're my father."

But they couldn't walk with each other to her twenty. Beautiful things loved secretly appearing and silently disappearing. Was the ephemeral nature of this beautiful love the reason why he was stirred every time he conjured up those memories?

He looked at himself in the mirror and subconsciously raised his hand to touch the small scar on his shoulder. Sakura's face was bathed in tears every time she saw this, somehow making him worry. Itachi, like all other Uchiha men, were reputed to be courteous and traditional; he always wore decently when being with her no matter how childish, unreasonable, and modern Sakura was. But after that incident, such a pure habit became a strict rule he created, for fear the scar evoked in her that incident. Sakura usually had nightmares, and he had to coax her back to sleep; her moods kept changing — now calm, now scared. Still, she insisted on asking him to leave his upper body naked, and then just hugged him, tightened her embrace, and as predicted, cried terribly while rubbing her face on his shoulder, letting her salty tears trailed along his skin to the scar. Was it savoury? Some supreme power ironically carved this scar on his skin, always conjured up memories, demanding him not to forget them every time he had a bath.

It snared him by a question about his…

His what?

He didn't dare to think of that word. He couldn't change anything. What's done is done. His decision was irrevocable.

Itachi turned off the hot shower, grabbed the towel to dry himself, then dried his hair with the hairdryer, walked to the kitchen to make himself a small breakfast with bananas (he woke up too early to ask the maids do for him), drank water for hydration after sleep, then walked to his study to deal with the papers he hadn't read yesterday. Outside was still dark.

After an hour and a half passed, he wore his sportswear, ready for a morning running. It was 4:30 now. He opened the door, seeing Toru, biting his stuffed weasel, wandering around the manor. He stopped to caress Toru's head, smiled, and talked to Toru. But Toru was a dog, and his hooman didn't master dog language. What Itachi got was a silent reply, just like a monologue, asking questions and answering one by one himself.

"You like it very much, don't you, Toru?"

"Can I borrow it?"

"No?"

"Where is Kesu?"

"Hm...is he still sleeping?"

"Do you want to run with me?"

"No?"

Itachi ran all the way around the manor, seeing the images around him pass like they were stepping backwards. They faded gradually, replaced with his memories. For years, Itachi didn't suffer that much, compared to these days. Why did his sweet and bitter memories love to visit him more frequently these days?

After his decision, Shisui sensed something and clearly insinuated his doubt. Shisui disagreed with his decision although he didn't know exactly what it was. And Itachi, who refused to tell his best friend everything candidly, indeed was tortured with remorse. He didn't dare tell Shisui that he destroyed all the effort they invested in building Sakura's confidence after Sasuke left.

He didn't dare to tell Shisui that he tortured Sakura. He forced her to fear him. And when she agreed to trust him again, innocently raising her arms to embrace him again, rested her head on his chest, he betrayed her and accidentally pushed her to the edge of emotional crisis. That day he wore a white shirt Sakura had bought for him; with the desperate look of the eyes bathed in tears and her broken voice, she clutched at her gift, begging him until she fell unconscious. He picked her up and placed her on the bed, watching her sleep with puffy eyes and unkempt hair, whereupon he found out that her hand was holding tight a button she had plucked from his shirt.

"Itachi, I'm not sick. Can we leave here?"

Her voice was like a child timidly carefully asking for permission with a vain hope. He spoilt her to become a perverse child who wasn't afraid of flipping the sky and confidently asking him to carry all for her, but at that time, that child acted like a small wild animal was beaten so long that it was tamed and hid into the corner of the cage.

Sometimes Itachi tried to analyse what was hidden behind her eyes before she fell unconscious. It wasn't love. It wasn't hatred. It was neither disappointment nor hopelessness. So, what was it? Days then months then years, he seemed to grasp a vague understanding of that look. Just a vague...very ambiguous idea...

That button was Sakura's last straw — her last hope that he would change his mind.

It was lucky she was happy now. But did it justify what he had done?

Itachi came back to his room, looking outside the windows covered with thin silk curtains. Another morning would start promptly. He walked to the sofa, the only old furniture that Yoko decided to not to change.

And the white pillow...

The white round filled throw pillow stood lonely on the grey sofa. Its little friends disappeared. Were they playing hide and seek?

Yoko decorated the room in her own taste with a golden, yellow, and white palette, luxurious elegance. She was his wife. Just like Sasuke allowed Sakura to change his room. But why did the same action generate such different feelings? Itachi felt he was a stranger in his own room.

Itachi was trying to maintain a semblance of normality, but even he himself now couldn't distinguish all the things around him. He now was a poor gravedigger, carrying a shovel to dig the memories that he long ago buried, eating their rotten flesh, and chewing the bones left in the grave. Itachi tried not to think of old things but to no avail; he seemed to recall more and more these days. All things were like a sombre presage of a break, but the bridge was so proud that it thought it would carry all the weights. The bridge thought it was okay to break itself as long as no one was involved; yet little did it know some fish and plants would die because of the broken bridge's scattering pieces falling into the river below.

He stood a meter away from the sofa, beheld the white pillow and the sofa, a misfit combination in the room.

The morning light filtered through the curtains, shined on his figure, created a black shadow stretching on the sofa and the pillow. Intuitively, he felt this scene was heartrending to behold.

"Do you feel lonely?" Itachi asked the pillow with a wry smile. "Your pink and green friends left you under the command of Fate."

Itachi turned his body, facing the window, walking towards it, opening the curtains, viewing the Uchiha manor under the early morning light.

The white pillow lay there. No pink pillow. No green pillow.

And even its owner turned his back to it, relinquished the battle between his memories and himself, left a forlorn silhouette in a quiet early morning.

The white pillow just silently lay there.

All alone.


	26. A Simple Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

1.

Hoshigaki Kisame, a marine biologist who studied for fun, a professional diver and sturdy surfer, was driving his only female colleague Konan, a renowned origamist to her art exhibition.

“I’m going to visit my kid,” Kisame happily declared his plan today when they shared a brief talk in the Porches 991 already parked in front of the building.

“You will confuse many people that you have a child, Kisame,” Konan smiled.

“He’s forever my kid,” Kisame proudly confessed. “It has been a long time since I last saw him. Hm…this kid made me sad recently, Konan. He didn’t inform me about his wedding! Two years! Such an important event! I knew it only after hearing Sasori and Deidara talking about Sasuke’s marriage at our party.”

“Itachi is a reserved man,” Konan calmly analysed. “Maybe he thought it wasn’t necessary to tell you such news. It’s his private life.”

“I know,” Kisame beamed. “No matter what he does, he is always my kid, and he is always right.”

Konan sighed, “Luckily, you’re not his father, or you will spoil him.”

“It’s called the power of a love curse, Konan.”

“Until now, nobody has understood what ‘love curse’ you are always talking about means.”

Kisame laughed, “It’s my secret!”

“Okay,” Konan unfastened the seat belt, “I’ll go. Don’t need to stay in the car waiting for me. The exhibition lasts quite long. Just park it and treat yourself a cup of coffee.”

“Got it. Call me when you finish.”

“Thank you!”

Watching Konan disappear into the art exhibition building, Kisame left the car parked in the parking lot nearby and went to the café opposite, ordering an iced sea salt coffee and a salted caramel.

Konan was a pellicular lady, indeed. Along with Yahiko and Pein, whose real name was Nagato, she was an orphan, and they had lived some childhood years of stealing food to fill in their stomachs. By collecting old textbooks thrown away in the wastebaskets, she made origami to fill her imagination and usually wore a paper rose on her short hair. Three of them lived in an abandoned house which was rumoured to be ghost house for years before the owner determined to sell it for a song, and thus, they resumed life in the telephone box, benches in the park, or bus stops. 

After they met Madara and had a chance to bloom themselves, each person went in a different direction in choosing future paths. Konan spent years reading old texts about making paper techniques of ancient people and trying to make it herself. Madara suggested that she could be a great craftsperson. One of her favourite paper was made of Stellera chamaejasme, a plant which is virulently poisonous to protect itself from being eaten by insects and animals, and thus, the paper made from it, mixed with eaglewood, automatically antiseptic, mothproof and moisture-proof, and had a long shelf life. All of the paper from Konan’s company was hand-made, thus very expensive. Although the world moved to the mass production which could reduce the cost and have a high level of efficiency, hand-made things became rare but did not disappear. In fact, they were considerably expensive and would cost two or even three times the price of a good, machine-made products. Nevertheless, instead of being ignored by public view, many people were willing to pay money for them, since no handmade things are the same. Konan’s handmade paper was famous for its rich texture and unique look, suitable or even perfect for drawing, writing, or crafts, and her customers were mostly professional artists who had a certain understanding of what they had been worked with for years. She also bought a piece of land to grow lotus and make lotus silk, silently working until sunset with Yahiko and some old women, producing a limited amount of cloth from a huge amount of time and effort.

On rainy days, Konan usually did a creepy action. She took a white oil paper umbrella she made for herself, along with Yahiko, wandering around the narrow streets and even the slums. Every time she saw a homeless man, she always asked one question: “Can you bear the pain?” 

She offered them a stable job in her paper barn, and the work required a lot of skills and time. It was a heavy job requiring to use their own hands, collecting plants, peeling, boiling, rinsing, pestling and airing with meticulous care. Watching how to do it on TV looked easy and calming but indeed absolutely not. Some felt it was boring and tiring so they left and came back to their homeless lives; some defected Konan by thinking they held the secret of her techniques and opened a new company after gathering enough money. 

She also had an even creepier habit, which was to pick up any dead stray animals she met then buried them properly.

One day, Kisame asked Yahiko why Konan obsessed with burying them. Yahiko pondered then said, “I don’t understand much why she loves doing so, but when we lived together in the ghost house, Konan usually dreamt of the same dream every night.”

“Ghost house…”

“But Nagato and I didn’t dream anything.”

“What did she dream of?”

“Her death.”

“Hm?”

“She told us she dreamt of her dead body lying on the ground under the rain. Kisame, do you know the importance of having proper burial to the dead?” Yahiko explained. “Ancient people believe that your soul will wander forever on the earth without a proper burial after death. It means no heaven, no hell, no afterlife, no reincarnation. When a soul wanders too long in the world of the living, it becomes a ghost and gradually forgets its memories. It’s a torture, Kisame. The soul can never have a second chance or at least rest in peace. It stays hungry and wanders forever without knowing who it is but always has to stay away from the light and seek for smoke burnt from food.”

“So what did Konan interpret from that dream?”

“She thought it was her previous life,” Yahiko replied. “She said she dreamt of her death many times, and no one buried her properly until she woke up. But now that she could reincarnate in this world, which means someone finally found her bones and gave it a funeral.”

“That’s the reason why she loves burying stray animals?”

“I think so.”

To talk about the organisation, it was a story of magic, completely stupid illogical magic. In fact, everyone loved to prefer the organisation as ‘the Akatsuki’ to ‘Akatsuki’. No one knew who used it first. Just one beautiful night, all the members realised they got used to addressing it like that.

“Unique,” Deidara declared.

“Costly,” Kakuzu added while shaking his box of coins.

“Every time I say ‘the Akatsuki’, I feel like I’m talking about the moon,” Konan softly remarked.

“No, it feels like we are a big family,” Yahiko smiled.

When Kisame was a teenager, he usually skipped class and wandered to the train station to enjoy the sunset. He just simply didn’t like the school system, the school bell, the knowledge they taught him, and the fake smiles of adults. Just like Yozo in No Longer Human, Kisame felt this world was inexplicably built a semblance of beauty but rotten deep down; the only significant difference was that Kisame didn’t chase to explain the world or explain himself to the world, didn’t even attempt to reconcile with the world. Kisame was a rebellious student, and he didn’t even care how others judged him. Too tired. As a child, he had some amazing ideas about the world, but he received only two reactions — fake encouragement and mocking. Considering himself a misfit, he made the school escape more interestingly.

One night, while walking on the street, he felt an urge to deal with the amount of water consumed in his body; he drank too much soda some minutes ago, so he looked around and found a wall in the corner of a street. Kisame saw an advertisement, a very ugly simple one with white background and hand-written words: “Are you trash?”

Kisame tore it off and walked to the streetlight, reading it:

“Are you unique trash who believes you have potential but no one invests in you? This society decided to throw you away, and now you’re in the wastebasket. If so, come to find me at the address below at 8:00 p.m.”

The letters were poorly written with the day appended.

Normally these kinds of advertisement were crooks, but Kisame felt this one was strangely different. An invisible thread tightened on his wrist, pulling him to go to pay the loan he never got. Hence, he put a knife in his school bag and walked to that address. It was a clearing. No one was there except for a man whose hair seemed not to be cut for a long time. He sat next to a huge stone, closed his eyes as he was sleeping; beside him was a big war fan lain vertical on the stone and a suitcase. That was a frigid night with a campfire two meters away from the man. Kisame thought he was lied and was about to leave; he turned away, whereupon he saw many people were approaching. All were around his age — teenagers.

“You also come here because of that weird advertisement?” 

That was the first question Kisame received. He nodded. All of them silently watched the sleeping man.

At 8:00, he opened his eyes and glanced at them, nonchalantly asked a question he didn’t need any answers, “Why do you believe in such an advertisement?”

All of them looked at each other; no one answered.

“Come, and have a seat,” he pointed to the ground, then he took out a box and threw to them. “There are some questions inside. Each one draws one question and answers. That’s it.”

“But who are you?” one of the boys asked.

“I’m no one,” Madara smiled.

“But what can we have from you? Why do we have to trust you?”

Madara smirked, “A lesson for you, boy! Before doing something, don’t ask to have anything in return; otherwise, you gain nothing. Besides, when you come here, you admit you’re trash. You admit this society doesn’t want you. I’m here to give you a chance to prove who you are. I only need unique trash; normal trash doesn’t interest me! If you don’t like it, leave. I’m not here to prove who I am; you’re here to prove who you are.”

Kisame felt interested. He voluntarily took the box and drew the first question promptly. 

“Read the question, and answer it. That’s it.”

So Kisame frowned and read his question when many eyes were on him since he was the first, “There was a man who killed your family. You were angry and wanted to beat that man to death. Your neighbour advised you not to so since the dead were the dead and told you to forgive that man. What would you do in such a situation?”

Kisame looked confused, “Is this really a question to test me?”

“Yes,” briefly replied Madara.

“I would slap the neighbour first then beat the man later.”

Madara raised his eyebrows, smirked, “What’s your name?”

“Hoshigaki Kisame.”

“You passed. Next person.”

“Wait wait wait,” Deidara interfered. “Is that simple?”

Madara nodded.

“I’ll try!!!” Deidara exclaimed excitedly. “I’ll try next.”

But the boy who sat next to him drew the question already, so Deidara dispiritedly waited, yet eagerly listening to the question since he felt this game was fun. They were all teenagers who dared to come here, proving a certain degree of claiming themselves to be marginal.

That boy read his question, “As long as we unite, we can defeat any enemy, even the strongest one. Rephrase the sentence above.”

“Is it…,” the boy thought, “united we stand, divided we fall?”

Deidara jumped to talk, “No! That’s as long as we are the majority, no matter how wrong we are, the minority should shut up! That’s using majority to beat minority!”

Madara laughed, looked at Deidara, “What’s your name?”

“Deidara!!!”

“You passed,” Madara smiled, then turned to the boy. “Congratulations. You’re not trash, kiddo. Go back to school!”

Kisame remembered some left the game silently, while many criticised the game was stupid after Madara announced they failed. Madara only smiled. After the Akatsuki was founded, he once said, “Those silently left the game weren’t trash, but those angrily left the game definitely low-quality trash.”

Kakuzu drew a question regarding money and even didn’t finish reading it since he was overexcited. 

“Money is not important…,” Kakuzu trailed off and changed his mood from serious to overjoyed, “wait…who said this sentence?!”

“Your task is to answer the question, not to ask who said it,” Madara complained.

“No no no…you have to tell me who said it. If it’s not important, just give it to me!!! I’m willing to sacrifice myself to use it!!!”  
  
Yeah…Kakuzu passed because of sincerity.

Only later when they became close enough, Kakuzu shared his story. His mom raised him alone with his grandma after his father left home with another woman. The grandma still tried to weave baskets from strips of willow at home to earn a living while his mom worked as a restroom attendant. When he was five years old, his grandma got sick, and the doctor informed them that she needed surgery which required a huge amount of money that his mom couldn’t afford. His grandma gained her consciousness some days later and insisted on going back home and accepted her death for a reason that she was old. She died at home, or more precisely, in the small room that they rented. Kakuzu remembered a scene when he was at the hospital waiting for his grandma to wake up. A woman shouted at the doctor, “Give my mom the best treatment you have here. I’ll pay.”

After his grandmother’s funeral, they only had some money left while his mom unfortunately was fired. She tried to find a job but always got refused because her appearance looked not clean to them. They had to pay the monthly rental fee and other bills; rice in the bag was less and less, but he innocently kept asking for food. Kakuzu told them that his mom even had the intention of stealing some fruits in a garden of a strange house nearby but refrained herself from doing so.

“So what did your mom do?”

“She took me, a meagre child, to a house of a neighbour who had moved there a month ago, knocked the door, and asked for food,” Kakuzu indifferently said. It was his indifference making others feel much pain. “I could even smell the savour of barbecue flying from the house once the door was opened. My mom’s face reddened out of embarrassment and tried to explain to them that she didn’t have food for me and whether they could give some for me only. She said she didn’t need it for herself.”

“Then what happened next?”

“I’m here now, see?” Kakuzu smirked. “That house’s owners were an old couple. They didn’t say anything and went straight to the kitchen, packing the food they had for my mom. Luckily, it turned out that the couple knew the boss of a restaurant that once refused my mom, and they called him. With their kind words, my mom worked there as a dishwasher. That old couple offered to look after me when she went to work.”

Kakuzu continued with his playful smile, “Next to my pillow on the bed always is my box of savings. My mom has given me pocket money since our life got better, but I always hoped to be a breadwinner, for it hurt my eyes every time I held my mom’s hands. They aren’t soft, you know, she was a dishwasher. The couple who kindly helped us was rich but sometimes enjoyed some work like sewing beads into fabrics. You can earn some money from that work, so I learnt it and they gave me money based on the number of patterns I had done. I feel safest when hearing the sound of the coins rolling in my bronze box. Call me a miser if you want. I don’t have friends in school. To go out with them costs a lot of money. I don’t like a friendship based on how much money I should spend to maintain.”

Kakuzu was the treasurer of the Akatsuki, which later made Pain regretfully remark, “Kakuzu is the money keeper where money flows in most smoothly while taking it out requires a lot of effort and arguments to prove him that the number of money running back to him must be more than what is taken out.”

Kakuzu was the reason why the Akatsuki made lots of profit since there was no way to withdraw money if they couldn’t persuade him with proof and evidence and sometimes an oath. To get Pein’s nod was hard; to get Kakuzu’s okay was even harder. 

When online banking became popular, Kakuzu’s favourite activity changed to behold the increasing number of zeros.

“Every time I have a bad mood, I’ll open my chest of drawers to count the number of diamonds I have. Soothing feeling.”

Then there was a time Kakuzu counted his diamonds at night to chase away his bad mood, but he found out one diamond was missing. He counted again and again and again and again, still missing one. He got stressed, spending a whole night to find his diamond, later calling the whole Akatsuki to wake up to find with him. Konan looked at Kakuzu’s panda eyes and said, “Misery and miserly only have one different letter; there must have some reason behind.”

Kakuzu painfully said, “I’m wrong!!!”

Everyone: “???”

“I should have stored bigger diamonds. Small ones are hard to find if lost.”

“…”

Pein the leader once thought of designing rings exclusively for the Akatsuki’s members.

“Can the rings bring any profit?”

“It’s for us to use only, not a business.”

“No,” Kazuku forthrightly dismissed. “No profit, no withdrawal allowed.”

“I’m the leader.”

“Who holds the money?”

“…”

“If you want, use your own salary to make them.”

“…”

“The one you make for me must be bigger than others.”

“…”

Pein questioned his leadership position.

Kakuzu opened a bakery called Diamonds on the anniversary of his one-hundredth diamond in the collection. That bakery gave away all the bread they had at 10:00 p.m. every day without requirements except for one loaf per person. Hidan once complained to him that some people would just take it while they weren’t in a difficult situation, but Kakuzu dismissed, “I hate those people, but I can’t do that. Just a loaf of bread and you ask them to prove their poverty or judge them by the clothes they are wearing? If ones have money, they don’t need to do that. Sometimes asking for help is a shame to some people; it isn’t easy to do so. My mom begged for food in embarrassment; had we had enough money, she wouldn’t have done so at the cost of her self-esteem. Sometimes asking for help is not weak since it costs too much shame to a person. My bakery gives away bread, then whoever comes can get it. If they take when they don’t need, they sell their own value. Those people won’t go anywhere better in the future; I don’t need to care for that.”

Konan, coming in a package with a buy-one-get-one-Yahiko, had an only open question with no situation given or specific description, “What is the cruellest thing to do in this world?”

Her answer softly and horsely travelled and spiralled the air, “It’s to continuously poke at a rabbit’s nose to see whether it bites your finger. Once it can’t stand it anymore and bites, it is condemned for being a savage animal, and what is waiting for it is the death penalty.”

“You will become the second-in-command,” Madara declared.

Hidan’s question, “Everyone loves a hero. Rephrase it.”

“If you are not a hero, whether you die or suffer is none of anyone’s business. Damn! This is the world of benefit. You give benefit to them and they say they love you. Normally this kind of conditional love will end nowhere good. I don’t wanna be a hero. Let my parents give me their unconditional love. It’s enough.”

Sasori’s question: “If your father dies, let view your neighbour as your family.”

“???!” Sasori, the rich kid, whose parents worked in the government of the neighbour country and grandma was a famous scientist, gaped at Madara. His family really loved him, and he came here with his grandma, who flew here for a conference.

“Answer it! Don’t look at me like that.”

“May I ask one question to clarify the question?”

“What question?”

“Does the neighbour view me as their family member?”

“You guess!”

“This is a hypocrite! Someone should go to teach them what is called ‘blood is thicker than water’!”

Pein’s question, “Explain why dinosaurs went extinct while cockroaches will live even after the earth is abandoned.”

“Simple,” Pein stood up to give his speech, “in the myths, we have gods and angles, and humans live in harmony with them. Then now where are they? All left to let humans stay and destroy their own only home, leaving the teachings that everyone spreads but rarely practices. Good things end soon. Wise men die soon. Just like extremely powerful villains die because of stupid reasons. One dies because of tripping over a stone; another dies because of bringing the wrong weapon to the final battle; or even some dies because their conscience is suddenly awakened. Lest you doubt my argument, I’ll take an example. I once found a CD of a movie in the ghost house where Konan, Yahiko, and I temporarily and luckily lived, and there is a villain called Radama. On the verge of success in the final scenes, Radama dies unexpectedly out of a woman springing from nowhere. The more powerful one is, the sooner one dies, with the more stupid reasons. Even movies prove it! So we apply the same rule to dinosaurs and cockroaches. Dinosaurs died, and only cockroaches remain due to the rule mentioned.”

Madara suddenly took out his paper tissues, wiping his eyes, “Such an emotional speech! I have never cried since I grew up, but I don’t know why I feel it is talking about me!!! What is your name?”

“I'm Nagato.” 

He later created his pseudo, Pein.

“You,” Madara sniffed, still couldn’t move on from Pein’s simple speech, “will become the leader.”

“Thank you!”

“Wait!!!” Deidara protested. “Why??? How could you rush to such judgment?”

Madara turned his head, nonchalant talked to Deidara, “Have you ever watched that movie?”

“N...no,” Deidara the teenager innocently and sincerely shook his head.

Madara gave him a look of ‘children are innocent’.

“To talk about that movie,” Sasori said with his hands in the trousers’ pockets, “there is a character who looks like you, erh, Deidara, right?”

“Really???” Deidara excitedly asked.

“Hm,” Sasori nodded slightly. 

“What is his ending???”

“Dead.”

“...”

“More precisely, he commits suicide.”

“Why?!”

“Because his self-esteem is hurt by a teenager.”

“What?! How can I die that way?!”

“It’s not you,” Hidan sneered.

“Forgot, too into it. Sorry.”

“Watch it,” Madara advised. “You will understand my decision.”

After that, Madara took his war fan and got up, “So it’s the end of today. I’ll leave.”

Kisame, Konan, Nagato, Yahiko, Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu: “...”

Deidara took initiative to raise their confuse, “Wait! What about us?”

Madara kept walking, leaving his sonorous and powerful words adrift above the land, “The suitcase! Use it wisely. Watch your heart.”

All of them shifted their focus to the suitcase. Kakuzu sniffed, “I sense something valuable.”

All of them walked towards the suitcase and looked at each other to see who would be the one to open it. Sasori politely suggested, “Pein is the leader of our group. Let him do it.”

Once the suitcase was opened, Kakuzu exuberantly screamed, “I will be loyal to this organisation for the rest of my life!!!”

Inside the suitcase was money. But then there were many questions to be asked.

“How much does each of us get?” Kakuzu asked. Although he loved money, he knew the rules. The money wasn’t for him only.

“But which reason did he give us money?” Sasori the rich kid asked.

“And how can we find him in the future?” Hidan complained.

Yahiko said, “He told us to use it wisely.”

“And I think he has some reason behind,” Kisame commented. “Maybe he can find us.”

All looked at Pein.

Pein pondered while staring at the money, “I think we just give each of us an equal amount of money. He told us to use it wisely, which means he insinuated that this was another test.”

Konan softly said, “Nagato, he doesn’t even care about our backgrounds. The money must be used to benefit ourselves. I agree with Kisame; he will find us whenever he wants.”

“Honestly,” Sasori shared his thought, “I hold a deep ambivalent feeling towards him. This man looked so calm so casual and gave money to us without even considering. Rich people don’t do anything without profit. He doesn’t throw the money away on a whim.”

“So we have to make some profits?” Deidara frowned. “What can we do at such ages?”

“Invest in ourselves,” Pein concluded. “Once our ability is good enough, we can deal with anything. Knowledge and experience belong to us, then no one can steal them away from us. He...knows we are trash, remember? The society no longer wants us, but he does.”

They unanimously agreed to give each one a fair share of the money. When all the money was taken out of the suitcase, they saw a paper tore carelessly with an address appended and a key.

“It must be a house,” Yahiko guessed.

“We still have a whole night, so why don’t we go there to find out what it is?” Hidan suggested. 

As expected, it was a five-storey-house. They inserted the key and walked around. The house had ten bedrooms with only a bed inside, a kitchen and a living room with mural paintings of red clouds on the first floor, six bathrooms on each floor, and a garden with only a mahogany tree and grasses that grew high. They found a wall phone in the living room with only one button with the note that it could be used only three times, and thus they called Madara to help them, who were unable to represent their legal interests due to their minority (under 18 years old), with some documents that requested a signature of an adult. Konan, Yahiko, and Pein opted to stay since they didn’t have a permanent home. Sasori left this country after he chose a room for himself unfortunately on the same floor with Deidara. Others had their own families but left the money in their rooms since bringing that much money back home would cause many troubles. Most of them used the money to learn something while Sasori the rich kid secretly used it to buy a small land to grow or raise something nobody knew. Konan stepped to the bookstore to buy coloured papers for the first time. Kakuzu kept studying and later enrolled in banking management. Deidara made his bedroom to be his studio for his clay art masterpieces.

Sasori sometimes wondered whether Deidara intentionally made noise at night whenever he stayed in that house, especially after he bought himself a TV and a CD of Hanoko. No one could sleep at that time, for Deidara cried and yelled like ‘Deidei, how can you do that? Life is precious!!! You have to live to create more masterpieces! Art! Art! Art!!!”, and when everyone thought Deidara finally moved on, he created a sculpture of his Deidei to hug it and cry for the next whole week. Sasori even kicked his room to tell him to shut up, but it didn’t work. About a month later, he became quiet. Instead of feeling relieved, Sasori viewed it as something very fishy, which he only knew the reason a year later when accidentally mentioning it to Kisame.

“Do you want to know why?” Kisame smirked when they were talking in secret.

“Why?” 

“He found a way to comfort himself.”

“Huh?!”

“Deidara wrote fan-fiction named Rebirth: Deidei’s Revolution,” Kisame threw a nut to his mouth, “on a website called...hm...let me remember...Archive of something something.”

“Just that’s it?”

“Don’t underestimate Deidara, Sasori,” Kisame laughed. “His story was very famous and made the website stop working every time he updated a new chapter.”

“Was?”

“Deidara thought his story was an art, so he deleted his story 24 hours after posting the last chapter, breaking millions of readers’ hearts, especially who hadn’t read the final chapter yet. They even made a trending hashtag #begDeidaratocomeback, occupying the number one position worldwide for three consecutive days.”

“But how do you know it?” Sasori asked in disbelief.

Kisame winked, “I bribed him.”

“For what?!”

“Hm...to write a good ending for my favourite characters,” Kisame emotionally named them, “Sharky and Weaselsy.”

“I know them. What about the ending?”

“I didn’t read his story,” deadpan said Kisame. “I just knew it was famous, and that was enough.”

“...”

“He guaranteed to give them a good ending. I heard it was something like Deidei, Sharky, Weaselsy, and Weaselsy’s brother conquered a poor village effortlessly and rebuilt it into a peaceful country, you know,” Kisame shrugged his shoulders, “kindness is borderless.”

Sasori still looked so shocked that Kisame patted on his shoulder to show his sympathy, “Surprised to know this after me, right? Ahaha...but Sasori, you don’t have a chance to read such a masterpiece. He deleted it.”

Sasori and Deidara had been arguing for years but also knowing each other the most. Everyone knew it. There was, however, always an atmosphere of fraternity among the Akatsuki’s core members, who were like chalk and cheese. Kakuzu loved money, but he cared for Hidan, whose father was a notorious criminal receiving capital punishment. Hidan was quite badmouthed because he once lived around his father’s accomplices, being exposed to swearing and talking dirty for a long time. After his father was arrested, he lived under the sneering from people around and even his classmates. 

“See? That boy’s father is a criminal.”

The reputation of good deeds seldom existed long in the community; bad deeds did. Ten years passed, and everyone might forget a person’s good gestures but always remember his bad words. No matter how much the school covered Hidan’s identity, rumours and gossip could reveal everything and even exaggerate what Hidan’s father did. Hidan didn’t know how to protect himself except for being more savage and badmouthed, which helped him and at the same time killed him gradually from inside. 

But Hidan would be the first one to jump to save Kakuzu if anything happened. They found the light inside every one of the organisation after gradually standing by each other’s side. Hidan’s last ray of light was protected.

Sasori, of course, was the same. He knew something about Deidara that others didn’t. Deidara loved fireworks. Despite being the troublemaker or a jovial character in the group, Deidara was extremely closed-mouthed about his family. They visited his family once when his grandparents cooked a simple but delicious dinner for them. The father arrived home quite late when the party came to an end and went straight to have a bath after a polite greeting but later strangely thanked them to be friends with his son before they left. Everyone sensed something; they had never seen the mother, but who didn’t have the past?

Deidara once accidentally let it slip that his mother usually took him to see the fireworks every new year.

“That is art, Sasori,” Deidara argued. “True art only appears gorgeously then disappears. Even the flowers will wilt.”

“No,” Sasori sneered at him, “true art is eternal. The sun rises and sets every day.”

“What my mother liked is true art!”

“Hm?”

“Nothing.”

Deidara’s mother died of a car accident. Simple. Just the time wasn’t right. Deidara had an argument with his mother a day before, and then she died. Simple. In the heat of the argument, he screamed to his mom, “I don’t want a mother like you.”

Normally, just two or three days passed, and everything came back to the usual harmony. That time was completely different. She disappeared forever and would never come back, leaving Deidara filled with remorse. Deidara didn’t cause her death. It was just the accident came at the wrong time. If it had happened after a happy dinner, Deidara would have lamented for his love only. Unfortunately, there was no if in reality. Hurt words were created to attack others under the purpose of defence, but words were also arrows which once flew and never turned back. It tortured Deidara every night, and even his favourite mom cooking’s dish that his grandma made to comfort him became insipid, for it only attacked him with one thought that he would have treated her much better if he had known that was last moment with his mother.

Deidara loved fireworks. His mother was as beautiful as fireworks blooming at night then dying out right in the sky.

Except for Madara, the Akatsuki had 10 members with 2 inactive ones — Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke.

Uchiha Itachi was at the age of curiosity, so he asked his uncle to let him take the test. Madara thought this was just for fun so he printed the same question he gave Pein on a blank paper, on which Itachi wrote down a scientific answer, making Madara gloomily confess to Kisame that he worried for his clan future. 

Uchiha Sasuke came with his brother and wanted to try anything his brother did, but at that time he was five years old - the age of learning how to write characters properly. Madara didn’t expect anything from a little kid and gave him the test paper to please his nephew only. But Sasuke seriously wrote something on the paper, which made Madara touched to tears when reading, “Uncle Izuna said that I would pass because Uncle Madara loved him.”

Sasuke resembled Izuna.

“Passed!”

Uchiha Itachi passed with zero while Uchiha Sasuke passed without answering anything. Deidara, who always was so proud of this organisation, got furious because of feeling unfair. 

“This is to use the advantage of relationships!!! I had to pass a difficult test to be one of the core members!”

Sasori smirked, “You even didn’t take the test. You snatched another’s test question.”

“I still answered it.”

“The test is always simple,” Hidan complained.

“But at least I did something right!”

From that moment, Deidara loved to get up Sasuke’s nose if he had a chance.

The fact was that Itachi and Sasuke regretted joining the Akatsuki as Kakuzu loved to call them to ask for the membership fee. Money wasn’t a real problem to the Uchiha brothers. The real problem was that Kakuzu neither gave them the option of auto-renewal nor allowed them to pay at once or in advance. They were busy, not having time to remember such tiny money. Being asked, Kakuzu simply replied that he loved the feeling to remind someone of owing him money. The two brothers even asked Madara to leave them off the list, but the Akatsuki had a rule of a lifetime commitment, making them only share sympathy and sigh.

Kisame once asked Madara what would have happened if he had answered his question differently.

“How different?”

“Like I don’t care about the neighbour but still slap the killer.”

“Failed.”

“Hm...”

“Kisame,” Madara poured himself a whiskey, shaking his glass cup with ice, “a criminal commits a crime, and it is visible. Hypocrisy is another story. Hypocrites are those who do evil things invisibly and maintain bad deeds in secret. I once read a book about a person who detached himself from most everything. He was a wise man, doing things that normal people could never do, but I respect and admire him. Do you know why? He indeed did what he said in the book. Don’t ask others to do things you can’t do. Don’t do anything you don’t want others to do to you. Otherwise, you’re a hypocrite, painting a benevolent facade with the reason of spreading good messages but rotten inside. No one can punish a hypocrite since what he does is invisible, but once bad things come to him, he reacts in much terrible way than you think.”

“But what about a wise man who practices forgiving?”

“He won’t come to find me, Kisame. Wise men know it’s best to stay aloof from troubles. Besides, no one was born with such abilities,” Madara said with reminiscence. “I have a friend. He is very kind and usually laughs even in the most hazardous situations. When we were young, we usually talked and argued candidly about big dreams and ended up in small talks and stupid stuff. We are carrying something that I once thought we lived this life to compensate for each other due to the unknown remorse, just like it took us so many lives to understand deeply why we became friends. Sometimes I think he would be a person who climbed mountains and sailed across the oceans to bury me no matter how much we disagreed with each other. He buried me, and I buried him in the next life, and we just buried each other life after life. I feel it is a very long time. Learning something costs time, and sometimes it is too much. He and I have been spending not years but many lives learning about our friendship. Kisame, when you love a person, a friend or a lover, just love that one dearly with all your heart. Don’t let yourself feel regretful. Who knows how much time is left for you?”

Kisame’s love curse started to take effect when he attended the clan reunion of the Uchihas when Itachi was ten years old. At that time, Deidara came back to the headquarter and called everyone to inform his amazing plan based on his intelligence about their big boss. Madara left his home with a huff when Itachi was born, whereas the Akatsuki core members were around 14-16. Deidara did a great job in discovering the clan activities and urged all of them to book a flight there altogether. Izuna felt it was okay to let them play, so they changed the biggest game that year to adapt with outsiders. It was a human chess game, in which everyone was asked to draw four papers, describing a number of maximum moves to make, a certain direction. Each also had to draw a secret power twice. The second paper could be blank, and thus, some might have two secret powers while others had only one. Two people stood in one square were asked to combat on that square’s designed game. The one who won the square would make the square have the colour of that team. Which team had more squares before time was up would be the winner.

After some thirty minutes, coincidentally only the Akatsuki members played versus the Uchihas. Itachi was ten years old that year but already passed the elimination rounds to attend this game. Kisame remembered he moved two steps vertically, stood there to wait for team Itachi to make the move, and Itachi moved to stand next to him. He was just a little boy, smiled to him innocently, showed his hand to Kisame, politely asked, “Could we shake hands?”

How could Kisame reject this courteous kid?! Kisame was touched to see his smile. Shake hands!!! This kid was adorable!!! Shake hands!!!

Right at the moment they shook hands, Izuna’s voice sonorously flew across the field to his ears, “Kisame now becomes Team White’s member.”

Kisame: “!!!”

“Uchiha Itachi used his power to turn one person from the other team into his team’s member by shaking hands.”

Imagine your dear comrades looked at you as an enemy. Hidan even declared that they should focus on eliminating Kisame first due to his betrayal. He was forced to be on the other team, okay??? Kisame felt he was wrongly condemned!

Kisame was a man who loved to fight, devoted to moving any time any square he could, but Itachi was a boy who only moved when the situation required. Many times Kisame jumped three steps, only to hear Itachi tell him to stay there. Kisame really didn’t want to listen to this kid!!! But he couldn’t command his body to move. So the whole game time he stood in a square for his kid forgot his existence. Looking at other people playing, Kisame ached to cry out. This was a damn curse! Luckily, his kid remembered him in the second round, allowing him to move to the farthest position to compete with Hidan in throwing stones to a bamboo tube placed on the ground. He won, but Hidan still stood there instead of being eliminated.

“Hidan lost one life,” Izuna announced, making everyone in Team White turn their guard on; Uchiha Shisui even exclaimed in surprise, “One life?! Which power is he granted???”

“Kisame, move back,” Itachi told Kisame in the voice of a child. Kisame indeed was curious and energetic to continue to compete to see how many lives Hidan had, but his kid…his kid…he told him to come back!!! 

He moved back as he was told. I didn’t want to move back, Kisame cried inwardly. Legs! Why did you not listen to me???!

Unknowingly, Kisame gradually found himself adore this kid at an unbelievable level. It seemed…as a curse. He analysed to himself many times that he hadn’t known this kid long enough, that this kid wasn’t his relative, that they had never met before, that he was just a kid like other kids, and more importantly that he loved to fight while this kid refused to do so!!! Differences in personality, age gap, no close relationship before, then why could he not refrain himself from Itachi’s voice? Kisame thought he was a psychopath or had Stockholm syndrome then went to a psychiatric hospital to check his mental health.

“You’re healthy.”

This hospital was unreliable.

He came back home to google his symptoms.

No good results.

He stayed up late to analyse his own problem.

No answer.

Kisame gave up. 

He was a simple man. He felt he loved this kid, then just simply loved him. Why did he have to find some reason for it? Love is love. That’s all.

Kisame smiled to himself when recalling these memories.

The café was not quite crowded this morning. Mostly people sat with their laptops, typing something, answering the phone call from someone. The TV news was talking about a fire in a house last night.

Kisame indifferently looked at the screen. In this world, a minute passed, and many died while many were born; many were crying while many burst out raucous laughter. This world maintained a balance itself. When one thing was too dominant, it would be suppressed by some factors. Is there anything to be surprised? Kisame thought, too many and too much, and too out of hand. 

The TV was muted with only pictures moving.

Kisame saw the address of the house, which sounded familiar to him, so he focused on the screen one more time. The structure of the house looked so familiar, but something was missing. Kisame tried to retrieve his memory to find why he felt something was missing... 

A tree. No, two trees...

The TV already moved to another news, so Kisame took out his phone to search for the fire, staring at the photo of the burnt house now in grey and black. There were two trees, which seemed to be burnt into ashes, and only the trunks and some main branches remained. Kisame looked at the address again. 

Hm...

Some pictures flashed through his brain. The trees...

An Okame cherry tree and a maple.

That was the house in which his kid lived when he was studying in the university.

Yeah...he didn’t live there anymore. Why does he need to care?

2.

Uchiha Itachi accidentally heard of the news of a sudden fire when he just got in the car where his chauffeur who drove him to a conference some hours ago was waiting for him. The radio was turned off some minutes after Itachi was in the car, for the chauffeur knew Itachi loved silence.

Yet, Itachi still caught the address of the house. It was his old home.

Itachi sighed inwardly. All were burnt to ashes, and the news reminded him of his shelter. How long had he not been there?

Once he came back to the company, it was near the lunchtime (Itachi opted to leave right after the most important part ended). He went to the garage to take his own car and drive there.

Pushing the door, Itachi slowly walked inside. The dust glittered under the sunlight on his furniture, formed a thin layer which heavily hung a stone in his heart. Itachi resumed his steps to the garden, only to see that the flowers he had learnt to grow for a very long time all died.

What was the game his memories wanted to play with him? Sweetly kissed him, then bitterly cut him like a paper cut, then silently attacked him, and now quietly left him.

Itachi called his secretary that he wouldn’t be back until late afternoon. He quickly started to dust each room, including the topsides of all the furniture, dampened a microfibre cloth to clean the glass windows and doors with a dry one followed, quickly took a sweeper to clean the floor which later was cleaned by the mod dipped in a bucket of water mixed with floor cleaner liquid until everything looked spotlessly clean.

Then Itachi moved to the garden, standing there behold the excruciating images. This was the shelter he built on memories. He cared for everything here by his own hands, and just…

He forgot it for a while and it died.

Was his garden trying to tell him that they promise not to bother and attack him anymore? You see, Itachi, where you buried us was burnt to ashes, while the flowers you grew in where you built based on us died. Do you feel happy now? We, memories, declare to stop the battle between us! All passed. Nothing is left. We are leaving.

Are you happy now, Itachi?

You must be happy.

Right?

Itachi plucked the died flowers away, sweep the fallen dried leaves over the ground, put them into a bag. He took it and walked towards the wastebasket to throw it away, but then he stopped, staring at the bag in his hand.

Itachi turned back to the garden, used a shovel to dig a hole, opened the bag and poured those dead ones into it, but a sudden gust of wind tumbled the dead flowers over the garden before he covered them up with soil. Patiently, he collected them and threw to the hole over and over again due to the perverse wind. Itachi did some final checks to see whether he forgot anything. Once all were checked, he left the house.

Itachi was no longer a gravedigger in theory or symbolic image. What he was doing was exactly what a gravedigger did. His memories now manifested themselves in shapes and forms. They didn’t attack him in voices and thoughts anymore. The battle that Itachi relinquished hadn’t ended yet since his enemies didn’t accept surrender.

Every worms to his taste; some prefer nettles.

Because no matter how terrible nettles were, his only valuable property was nettles and only nettles.

3.

Hoshigaki Kisame drove to Itachi’s company to find his kid after he picked Konan up and dropped her by where she asked. He confidently entered the building main hall and went straight to talk with the receptionist.

“I want to meet Itachi.”

The receptionist looked at him quite coldly in suspicion, “Do you have an appointment, sir?”

“No,” deadpan said Kisame.

“I can’t let visitors in without an appointment, sir.”

This receptionist was a new one, Kisame grumbled to himself in his head. The old one knew him!

Kisame leaned his body on the counter, took out his phone, called Itachi’s secretary, went straight to the problem, “Hey you, I’m Kisame. Uh, uh, can you talk with her?”

A few minutes later, the secretary appeared to take Kisame in.

“He has just come back,” the secretary smiled, “and will be happy to see you.”

“Of course!!!” Kisame proudly said.

The secretary opened the door and politely gestured to Kisame that he could come in. Itachi even didn’t start his greetings but could hear Kisame’s jovial call, “Kid!!!”

“Kisame,” Itachi smiled and said nothing more. The name could contain love when being called.

“You should show a bit of surprise kid.”

“I heard Sasori came here, so I guessed you would visit me soon,” Itachi calmly explained with a display of softness.

“Being too intelligent makes life less interesting,” Kisame dragged a chair to sit opposite to his kid across the desk, “but your intelligence makes me adore you more.”

Itachi smiled again, “It has been a long time since we last met.”

“Five years nine months seven days, kid.”

“You even count it?” 

“Of course!” Kisame coolly beamed. “You are my only kid. I don’t care for you then who should I care for?”

Itachi smiled. How many times had he truly smile recently? 

“Thank you, Kisame,” he put the papers neatly into a folder then placed it aside. “When do you fly back?”

“Tomorrow morning,” Kisame casually replied the frowned. “You look busy, kid. Do you have time for Kisame?”

“I do,” Itachi smiled.

“Hm...”

Itachi looked at him, waiting.

“Kid,” Kisame swayed the keys in his finger. “You owe me an explanation.”

“Explanation for what?”

“Is the little fox out yet?” Kisame jumped to sit on the edge of the desk, winked.

“Huh?” Itachi looked confused. “What little fox?”

“Hay ya,” Kisame sighed. “You don’t need to hide it from me, kid. Kisame knows more than you think.”

“I don’t get what you’re saying.”

Kisame sent Itachi an insinuating look, “You once took your little dango to the zoo, didn’t you? And your little dango was excited to see capybaras. You and she fed them with pieces of pumpkins provided by the zookeeper.”

A hint of surprise flew through Itachi’s calm demeanour.

“See? I said nothing wrong!” Kisame laughed out loud. “Kid! Don’t hide anything from me. It’s useless. I never believed you were qualified for dirty talks!”

“Kisame…,” Itachi spoke with a halting voice.

“Wait wait wait,” Kisame swayed his keys, “don’t tell me I’m wrong. Your face speaks much better than you. I came to the zoo to take some pictures to design my stuffed animals, and then what did I see? You ah kid! Looking at capybaras, holding her hands and discussing with your little dango that a weasel and a dango would produce a little fox. To other people, it’s a normal chat. To you, it’s a dirty talk, don’t you know?! Talking about making human in public! Okay okay, don’t look at me like that. Surprised to know Kisame saw it, right? Don’t think you flew to a foreign country and spoke your own language then no one understood.”

“Even you...”

“Even a person like me knows everything, right?”

Itachi looked so puzzled that he couldn’t speak a word. He really wanted to say to Kisame the rest of his sentence: Even you attack me, Kisame. You took my memories’ side.

Itachi’s memories didn’t attack him in silence anymore. It came in shapes and forms and now the voice.

“You ah kid!” Kisame thought Itachi’s puzzled expression was merely a hint of surprise, so he continued to tease Itachi, “Focusing on your little dango too much, you even didn’t notice Kisame standing behind you. Then what? She bickered you that you booked two rooms in the hotel to protect your virgin just because the hotel’s bathroom’s wall was transparent. You ah kid. Kisame heard that and ached to laugh out loud. Is there any man who acts like you?! You dared to call her ‘my little dango’ but didn’t dare to stay in the same room?! You even thought of having a baby with her but tried to protect your virgin. That was a contradiction! Did you give in to her in the end?”

“Kisame!” Itachi still said in a calm breaking tone voice with a bit of sense of heaviness.

“Hay ya kid. Don’t be shy! You two got married two years ago, right? With such great potential, your little fox must come out very quickly, right? Hm...,” Kisame rubbed his chin, “I did estimate the time. I can make one for him with short pile fabric, suitable for his age. Kid, I took a lot of photos about foxes to design a whole new stuffed animal for him.”

“No him here,” Itachi emphasised.

“Huh? Is it a she? Sorry, Kisame thought of a fox as male animal first. Anyway,” Kisame winked, beamed, “is the little fox out yet?”

“Kisame, can we change the topic?”

“Why?! Kid! You got married and didn’t send me a word. It hurt me enough! I just want to send a gift to your little fox.”

“Kisame…,” Itachi took a deep breath.

“Hay ya kid! Some days ago I opened a new store and noticed your little dango bought a stuffed weasel. Just one look from afar, I know it’s her. She must have a good eye, kid. She could see the beauty of the stuffed weasel I designed. You chose your wife very wisely!”

“Kisame! She is not my wife!”

“H…huh?”

Kisame suddenly trailed off and gaped at Itachi, trying to process information.

“We broke up, Kisame.”

“No way!” Kisame dismissed. “You wanna trick me huh? Kid! I know who you are. Uchihas look strong but damn weak, aren’t afraid of knives of guns but afraid of being hurt by love. You dare to love her, proving that a break-up is impossible.”

“Everything is possible.”

“So...,” Kisame pondered, “she must have been the one who wanted to break up with you?”

“Breaking up is breaking up, Kisame.”

Kisame frowned, tossed his keys on the seat, “She had someone else? Someone stole her from you?”

“Is it important?”

“Is she blind?!”

“Things are done.”

“If you love someone, just try to have a sincere talk with her. Maybe she will listen to you. You are such a good man. I know you, kid. You let things go too easily. If you don’t talk, I’ll talk on your behalf!”

Kisame already tossed the fact that Itachi was married away.

Itachi took a deep breath, said with a patient voice, “I don’t love her anymore.”

“Don’t lie to me!”

“I don’t love her anymore, Kisame,” Itachi reiterated. “I indeed don’t love her as a man to a woman anymore. I view her as a friend and a sister. I don’t love her anymore, so you don’t need to think that someone stole her away from me. We just broke up, and she got married to another person. I indeed don’t love her anymore. I let her go long ago, Kisame.”

Kisame’s smile died out, thoughtfully observed Itachi, softly said, “Kid, why do you need to reiterate so many times that you don’t love her?”

“Because I don’t love her anymore,” Itachi stated. “Many people just came to tell me my past and talked to me like I was a man who couldn’t escape from his past. I indeed don’t love…”

“Kid!” Kisame interrupted. “Who are ‘many’?”

Itachi looked away.

“You are a reserved man, so where are ‘many’?”

“What I mean is…”

“Are you convincing me or convincing yourself, kid?”  
  
Itachi gaped at Kisame then quickly inclined his head to look at the pen in his hands, huskily said, “I don’t love her anymore, Kisame. I’m telling you the truth, Kisame. I’m telling the truth. That’s the truth.”

Kisame didn’t say anything anymore. He jumped off the desk, walked to where Itachi was sitting, stood right in front of him. Itachi lifted his head to look at Kisame, puzzled at what Kisame was doing. The man who always called him ‘kid’ like he was his child laid his right hand on the back of Itachi’s head, pulled his head towards his upper abdomen, let it rest there, patted on the soft black hair of a twenty-seven-year-old-kid, “Okay. Kisame is sorry to pry you. You don’t love her anymore. Kisame knows it. Don’t need to reiterate it. Kisame is a simple person. You say a chicken is a chicken, then it’s a chicken. You say it’s a cat, then it’s the cat. Blame the curse you put on me when we first shook hands! Kisame does everything you want, believes in everything you say. Don’t need to reiterate it. Don’t need to explain. I know it’s the truth.”

“I indeed don’t love her anymore,” Itachi didn’t move away from Kisame, slowly and murmured. “I’m telling the truth.”

“I know,” Kisame repeated. “You don’t love her anymore. You’re telling the truth. It’s the past. Kisame knows it.”

4.

Kisame dragged Itachi back into the car after they went to a pub. He tightened the seat belt for his kid, looking at his sleeping face, covered with some black hair. He looked as innocent as a kid, just like time was turned back, and now the one who was in his car was the little child who smiled confidently with kindness, asking him to shake hands. This kid carried the bloodline of the Uchihas who usually had a high tolerance for alcohol but only drank on special occasions. Now he was sleeping.

“Where should I drive him back?” Kisame asked himself while looking at Itachi. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. 

The Uchiha manor? It would be best to keep him away from the manor. He had never seen Itachi was drunk before. Who knows what will go wrong if their Mister back home in this state? The only two people that could be trusted 100% were the butler and the housekeeper, but they weren’t close enough to him to stay with Itachi all night. Besides, Kisame rather chose to trust himself than others.

The hotel? Even worse than the Uchiha manor since he would leave for his morning flight. At least the Uchiha manor had the butler.

His own house shared with his wife? Kisame finally remembered Itachi’s marital status, but this was impossible since he didn’t know the address. By the way, Itachi was relaxed when being with him. What would happen if he still thought he still was with him, suddenly woke up, and said something he shouldn’t say?

His own house? Itachi didn’t live there anymore.

Hm...

The final option was his shelter. Gods and angels blessed him. Itachi told him about that shelter when they were drinking. Since it looked like his old house, he could recognise it while driving. He remembered the road.

Kisame kicked the door open, even surprised to find out Itachi didn’t lock the house. Okay, this was his kid’s style. The house wasn’t big, and Kisame once visited Itachi’s old house when his kid was a student, and thus, this house’s architecture was predictable. He dragged Itachi to the bedroom, let him lie on the bed, took off his shoes, then looked at Itachi, sighed.

“Kid ah, now I know why your little dango is your little dango. To deal with you, it’s better to be stubborn and unreasonable. If I had talked in normal manners to you, you surely wouldn’t have gone to have a drink with me.”

He suddenly questioned himself who Itachi’s wife was and quickly gave himself an answer, “Never mind. Why do I need to know your current wife? It’s the same huh? Little dango or not little dango.”

And Kisame started to ramble.

“You ah kid, humans are the creature clinging to hope. You are too kind, and then you will give them hope. When ruthless is needed, be ruthless a bit. Once they know no one cares for their lives, they will take responsibility for their own lives. Giving other people the feeling that they can hope to have something from you, you will hurt yourself after all. Love your little dango, then say you love her. Don’t love her, then say you don’t love her. Why do you have to burden yourself with others’ feelings?”

“Ancient people weren’t wrong: An intelligent man will be harmed by his intelligence. Kindness used in the wrong way will harm others and yourself. It’s talking about you, kid.”

Kisame thought for a while before taking his phone out to call for Itachi’s secretary. Once the phone was picked up, Kisame went straight to his purpose, “I’m Hoshigaki Kisame. I’m sorry for calling you this late, but I hope you not to call Itachi tomorrow.”

“May I ask the reason, Mr Hoshigaki?”

“Your boss...he...,” Kisame acted perfectly, seriously said, “coughed up blood today.”

“Mister...”

“Let me explain,” Kisame didn’t give the secretary a chance to talk, “the doctor said it was okay. Okay is okay, but he still needs some rest and takes medicine. You have been in that position for years, then you must understand Itachi’s personality. He won’t stop working if he thinks he is okay. I’m calling to ask you not to call him, and even if he calls you to inquire about anything related to work, tell him that there is nothing to worry about.”

“But...”

“A company can’t collapse in one or two days, but it will when its boss can’t even go to work. Is your boss’s health important?”

“I will do what you suggested,” the secretary said after some seconds of thinking. He knew quite well about his boss’s friends. Kisame and Shisui were among them.

“Good. I can guarantee that he won’t reprimand you.”

“I don’t worry about it, Mr Hoshigaki,” the secretary politely replied. “I have been working for Mister Itachi since I graduated from university, and I admire my boss. It’s better to doubt than trust anyone in my position. I only listen to my boss’s command.”

“Then why do you trust me?” Kisame smiled, but the secretary couldn’t see it. His kid had a very loyal secretary.

“I don’t trust you, Mr Hoshigaki,” the secretary calmly replied. “I trust myself. Mister Itachi’s health is important to me, and I will take it seriously. If he reprimands me or even suspends me, I will accept my punishment.”

“You’re smart.”

“Thank you, Mr Hoshigaki.”

Then no more words, Kisame ended the call.

Kisame felt quite bored, so he walked to a convenient store nearby to buy salted nuts, ignoring his car, which was parked illegally in front of Itachi’s house. Finding his kid’s house was tiring enough, and if he drove to find a parking lot which was quite far from here at night, who looked after his kid? If anyone wants to tow the car, just do it, Kisame thought, it’s Sasori’s car, after all.

On the way back, Kisame’s phone rang. It was his staff.

“Just say it!”

“Boss, we have some urgent matters in some stores here and...”

“Deal with it yourself.”

“...”

“Listen! My kid is sick, okay? I don’t have time for you.“

“But you...”

“Hay ya, it’s the chance for you to prove your ability. Just deal with it yourself.”

“But...”

“You have a son, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“If your child is suddenly sick and needs you by his side, between some money and your child, what will you choose?”

“Of course it’s my son.”

“See? I also have my kid.”

“...” But you don’t have any children, the staff screamed inwardly, we all know it.

“I’m a simple man. I hire you to solve my headaches, not to bring headaches to me.”

“...” 

“Bye.”

Kisame walked into the garden to enjoy his nuts and suddenly remembered his kid’s words. He stood up and walked around the garden. 

Nothing.

He saw many pots and patches without plants or flowers.

“My flowers died, Kisame.”

Kisame looked at his watch. It was 9:45 p.m.

“Kisame is a simple person, kid,” Kisame murmured. “Flowers wilted or died, then just grow new ones.”

He searched for a farmer’s market, but all of them closed at around 4-5 p.m. There was one which closed at 9:30, very far from here. Kisame decided to call that one, since he guessed the number phone provided was the owner. As predicted, someone picked up the phone, but he explained that Kisame contacted in off-businesses hours.

“I’ll pay you 10 times,” Kisame said. 

“...”

“I can transfer the money right now.”

“...”

“If you don’t want, I’ll call another store.”

“I’ll go!!!” the flower farm owner rapturously answered. “But what do you want, sir?”

“Hay ya, I don’t know much about this. I’ll send you a photo of this garden. Estimate and decorate it yourself. Just remember...hm...flowers you put will bloom in this season.”

“Okay, sir. May I ask where you are, sir?”

Kisame told him the address and added, “It is very far from you.”

“It’s okay, sir,” the farmer said. “I can drive there. But it takes me at least two to three hours.”

“I’ll wait,” Kisame nonchalantly said, chewing his nuts, and reminded the farmer, “and if you can’t find this house due to darkness, just need to stop when you see a red car.”

“Okay, sir.”

At midnight, the farmer finally drove his pickup truck to Itachi’s shelter. Kisame opened the door for him and guided him to the garden. The farmer moved the flowers and plants and started to replace the pots with new soil.

“Hey you,” Kisame called him. “Can you do everything in silence? My kid is sleeping.”

“Your kid, sir?” the flower farm owner smiled. “I also have one. She is twelve months old. How old is your kid?”

Kisame deadpan replied, “Two years and seven months old.”

After the farmer thanked Kisame and happily left, Kisame walked inside. He didn’t know much about flowers; beholding their beauty was useless to him.

When he walked inside, Itachi was still sleeping with his back on the bed. Kisame sighed again, “I sighed a lot today, kid. Your parents have taught you very well, kid. Sometimes it is too well and makes others feel hurt to look straight at you. Being too kind is a sin, kid. Even drunk, you still can sleep this well.”

Kisame noticed Itachi’s phone screen lighted up and started to vibrate. He frowned. Vibrating on the wooden surface caused much noise than ringing. Damn! His kid was sleeping. He picked it up immediately, walked outside, stood under the black clear sky without stars with the frigid cold.

“I’m listening.”

“Who are you?” a female’s voice, Kisame glanced at the phone, Yoko. He didn’t know who she was.

“I?” Kisame coughed and suddenly wanted to play a bit. “Ah-hm, I’m Mr Itachi’s new secretary.”

“Where is Itachi now?”

“He’s,” Kisame turned his head to look at a sleeping baby on the bed through the window of which curtains weren’t still drawn yet, “having a bath.”

“Tell him that I called him as soon as he’s done.”

“Hm…,” Kisame didn’t like this manner of talking, “why do I have to tell him? Who are you?”

“Just remember to tell him I called.”

“I won’t remember.”

“…”

“Is there anything else?”

“Do you know who I am?”

“So who are you?”

“I’m Yoko.”

“I’m not illiterate. I can read your name. I know you are Yoko. But who are you to command me?”

“Do you really not know who I am?”

“Then who are you?”

“I don’t have time to play this game with you.”

“Woman! Do you understand human language?! I’m a simple man. I asked you who you were but you refused to answer who you were, and then you asked whether I knew who you were and then I asked you again who you were, and now you said you didn’t have time to play the game ‘who you are and who I am’?! In the end, who are you?!”

“You’re new, and I don’t reproach you for this. I…”

“Wait little girl,” Kisame frowned. “Reproach me? Who do you think you are?”

“You should know your position,” Yoko emphasised the word ‘your’.

“Hahaha,” Kisame laughed out loud and promptly covered his mouth to let his kid sleep. “My position? Who are you then? Itachi’s mother? Or his grandma? Great-grandma? Even so, what makes you so proud little girl? Let me teach you one lesson. Stop watching TV dramas. A successful man never lets his family members interfere in his work, especially looking down on his staff. That’s called ‘stupid’. Have you learnt anything called loyalty or ants can kill an elephant?”

“Who are you?” Kisame called Itachi’s name without title.

“Don’t act so cautious! Had you been cautious, you shouldn’t have used an authoritative voice when talking with me right at the very beginning after knowing I’m his secretary. It’s too late now. To answer your question,” Kisame changed to powerfully proud voice. “I’m Itachi’s lover.”

“You!”

“Woman! Calling a man at this time is not appropriate, get it? You wanna steal my man, right?” Kisame walked to the road to distance his voice from his kid then shouted to the phone. “Go to sleep and dream. Stay away from my man!!!” 

Kisame promptly ended the call without even waiting for Yoko’s answer.

“Damn! A simple man like me had to deal with a complicated woman. This world is unfair,” Kisame, looking at the sky, murmured to himself. “Kid! Because of you, I risked my business, threw money away to buy nonsense flowers, now sacrificed my gender. Even I feel I need to give myself applause.”

Kisame came back to check Itachi and start his ramble in undertone again.

Whereupon he walked inside, Kisame started to talk, “Kid, you see…,” and trailed off, for what happened right in front of his eyes. 

Itachi changed his sleeping position from laying on his back to the foetal position. 

Kisame quietly made his steps to the bed, and just stood there. This kid was a sensitive but confident man, and even his sleeping position could tell it. Now, what had he seen? He was sleeping on his side with his legs curled up underneath, which usually implied a person who endured anxiety and needed comfort. Kisame caressed his kid’s hair, murmured, “You ah kid, even your body knows better than you that you subconsciously feel safe to show yourself here, your haven. It knows this bed is your shelter, kid. You have to lie on your back for a long time enough for your body to check that you are safe to reveal your feelings.”

Itachi clutched at the blanket like it was the only floating wood he could find, embracing it close to his chest. 

Kisame sighed, “Every worms to his taste; some prefer nettles. This is talking about you. Are you knowledgeable about your pain? Don’t let anyone know your foibles, kid; otherwise, they will use them against you. Kisame will forget them right after I leave here. You have to walk your own way, make your own decisions, and now no matter what I advise you, you won’t listen. Kisame is a simple man who does anything you want and believes in anything you say, but I can’t either help you walk your own way under my view or walk your way for you. Problems will forever stay there until you face them, kid. You have to solve them yourself. The only thing I can do for you is to let you fall, kid.”

Kisame stayed awake until the first ray of sunlight scattering to the ground of a dewy morning. He put the medicine for hangover headache on the bedside table and closed the door. 

Hoshigaki Kisame got into the car, drove to the airport, left his kid sleeping there with his fate.

5\. 

Itachi woke up and looked around. He was in his shelter. 

He immediately took his phone to see the time and quickly got up. Yesterday he spent some time to clean this house then went out with Kisame instead of dealing with his work. He had to go to work now. He sighed, “I slept too much.”

The medicine was only noticed after the owner of the house took a hot bath. The wind blew outside, carrying a hint of the fragrance of the flowers into the room. Itachi smiled to himself, for he felt this aroma was so fresh and relaxing, but then he wondered where it came from. Was it a neighbour? A new neighbour? Around here were not many houses.

He opened the door and followed the ambrosial smell, which led him to his own little garden. Itachi thought he was still sleeping or the hangover was too much for what he saw. He rubbed his eyes then walked towards the flowers to touch them.

They are real flowers!

There were winter heaths with dense foliage, cyclamens, daffodils, winter peonies, chrysanthemums in different colours, and red lycorises. 

Itachi stood there for a while in astonishment. 

Kisame bought these flowers for him. Itachi smiled.

Still, he had to go to work. Whereupon he walked to the gate, he saw a paper stuck on it, “Kid! When you see this note, maybe Kisame is on a plane now. Don’t leave this house in 24 hours after you see this, or Kisame will encounter a plane crash or a car accident or an earthquake. Trust the curse you put on me once. Care for Kisame’s precious life!”

Itachi sighed and turned back to his house. He was not superstitious, but...

Okay. This was Kisame.

Hence, he took out his phone to call his secretary to bring him his laptop and send the files to him, but his secretary said no urgent work needed him to deal with now.

“How is it possible that there is no work?”

“Mister Itachi, what I mean is not no work, but no urgent work. I can deal with it myself.”

“Then come here and give me the laptop. I still have to do mine.”

The secretary kept silent then said yes, but later, Itachi received a phone call from his mother.

“Mom?”

“What are you feeling now, Itachi?”

“Huh? I’m great.”

“I heard that you coughed up blood.” 

“Who said that? I’m healthy.”

“Your secretary called me.”

Itachi thought for some seconds, “Kisame visited me yesterday. Maybe he told lies to him.”

Mikoto also became silent before speaking, “Do you know that you will become a clan head?”

“I know my duty.”

“Then what are you doing?”

“I’m doing my duty.”

“Itachi,” Mikoto softly explained, “to become a clan head and let your mom have some official vacation in the end, you need to stay alive and stay healthy. If anything happens, your lazy mom will have to stand in this position some more years.”

“You don’t need to trust Kisame’s words,” Itachi smiled.

“We don’t talk about that,” calmly said Mikoto. “Your secretary told me that you started to mess up your normal work schedule. Don’t reprimand him. I forced him to answer my questions, and he also cares for you to have reported your situation to me. Normally, you organise your time very well, Itachi. I don’t pry you about this. I have two boring sons who have been causing me a headache even after they grew up. I’m the clan head, not you, Itachi. Don’t try to be busier than your mom and dad.”

“I know.”

“Know what?” Mikoto feigned angry. “The clan head allows you stay at home to have some rest. Don’t go to work and steal the clan head’s busy tittle.”

“Thanks, mom.”

Mikoto sighed, “I called Sasuke to tell him something similar, and he told me he would if I could do the same and then used the word ‘thanks’ to end everything. My destiny is so dull to have two boring sons.”

Itachi smiled again.

“Have some rest,” Mikoto said, “your mom is the clan head, not you. Remember.”

Before they hung up the phone, Mikoto said, “Ah! I forgot one thing. I know you like it, so I’ll send an email to you about that.”

“What is it, mom?”

“Your uncle is staying in the Uchiha village now. They found something new,” Mikoto explained. “I know you’re interested in the clan history in that period, so I’ll send you a part your uncle sent me. They found the identity of the skeleton.”

“Who was that person?”

“Just read the email, and you’ll have an answer.”

Itachi went to the kitchen. As expected, he saw fresh vegetables and meats inside the refrigerator. Kisame even filled them for him. Itachi prepared to cook himself a breakfast with a failed sunny sided egg, and the voices sprang up again.

“Sakura, why don’t we leave here?” Shisui joyously insinuated. “This kitchen is too small. We shouldn’t get in Itachi’s way, right?”

“Hm! Hm! That’s right!” Sakura giggled.

“You two want to avoid cooking then just say it directly.”

“No no no,” innocently said Shisui. “We will do the most difficult part later.”

“Hm? Which part? I’m doing everything now.”

“Sakura!” Shisui laughed. “Tell Itachi about it.”

“Hahaha...”

“Just a sunny sided egg is the most difficult part?”

“No!” Sakura laughed. “Three sunny sided eggs.”

“And it is, of course, the most difficult part!” Shisui evilly declared.

Itachi brought his food to the garden, took a seat, and started to have his breakfast. This was where he and Shisui enjoyed talking about the Uchihas with the extremes.

“As the head of the group, I'll have to organise a warm meeting soon.”

“When did you become the head of the group?”

“I promoted myself. Member Uchiha Itachi, do you have any problem with my decision?”

Itachi took a spoon of his fried rice and looked around the garden, talked to himself, “I have been thinking for many years, just now to realise what the true taste of memories is.”

What Kisame and Mikoto had done was just counterproductive. Itachi buried his life to working to distract himself from the memories, and now, he stayed here, in his shelter copied the design of his old home, new and old memories flocked to attack him. Their owner already gave up, but they became fiercer. The only good thing was that Itachi could calmly eat his breakfast since he didn’t fight the back anymore.

Because he would face up to the implacable rigour of fate one day, sooner or later. 

After breakfast, he washed the dishes and took his phone to open the email. Mikoto only sent him an attachment of a document.

“I was born in a poor family in the countryside on the fifth day of the second month. My parents couldn’t afford to raise me since I also have two younger brothers, and hence, they decided to sell me to a woman whose job was to train little kids to be lady maid or servants along with many girls and boys around my age. On the first day of the sixth month, there was a test to select court ladies annually, and I was chosen. 

Heaven blessed me. I later was assigned to take care of my lady whose life was as short as a mayfly, but the time I spent with her is always the most wonderful period in my life. Being literate is a privilege of the upper class, but now I can write these words effortlessly, which must be said to be the grace of my kind lady who patiently taught me how to write characters.

Staying in this cave for such a long time to guard her and his graves, I sometimes forget the concept of time. Yesterday, I heard the news that Patriarch Sasuke passed away, suddenly being reminded how much time has gone since my lady’s death.

Sitting alone here, I even asked myself when Death came to find me. My lady died more than 20 years ago. Time flies! Without writing, I think my mind will become even dull since the days here silently pass, and my life is just one of the leaf falling from a tree. 

I feel old age is finding me, and my memory isn’t good anymore. Some memories are becoming blurry gradually. Today, suddenly recalling the time my lady taught me how to write, I don’t want to let it be wasted, so why don’t I write when my mind is still lucid? Reading it when I’m old is a good way for reminiscences. Therefore, now I am sitting here writing this — the story of my lady, Patriarch Sasuke’s betrothed, a person who is washed away by the ruthless time.

Who am I? Women are addressed by her father or husband’s family name, and although I am single, I don’t have the ambition to reveal my name, for I will die one day. I possess nothing except for my memories. But one thing for sure, I am the betrothed’s lady-in-waiting, who was engaged to Patriarch Sasuke when she was a still a baby by the promise of the former head of the Uchiha clan — a clan that was the main character in a myth that whoever ate 108 eyes of the Uchihas could attain immortality and ultimate power.”


	27. Bloody Sunset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction.

Respectfully following Patriarch Sasuke’s order, my lady’s name and Patriarch Sasuke’s elder brother’s name will be changed to Hana and Ichi respectively. 

1.

My lady was originally a low-born. This was what my lady told me after I became her lady-in-waiting. She was the one who loved to ramble here and there, and growing up in the countryside in such a normal background made her a bright and open-hearted child.

When she was twelve months old, her father, a farmer saved a man in an armour bathed in blood who seemed to be washed ashore. He brought that man back home, but his wife argued anxiously about this. She told him that the armour could mean that the man was an official, which meant disaster might pour on them if they allowed the man to stay in their house. What happened if he was a ruthless person? He would kill all of them to bring the secret into the grave. Who knows?

But amidst all the confusion, worry, anger, their child cried, and the man moaned for water but didn’t wake up. Hence, conscience made them let the man stay in their house. My lady’s father took off the man’s armour and necklace then dressed him in his clothes while his wife ran to find a physician, for fear the physician could sense something and bring them an unexpectedly unfortunate disaster.

After the old physician left with a basic procedure in cleansing the wounds and the advice that this man needed a better treatment that he couldn’t perform since it required many rare herbs, they took care of the man as well as they could and intended to tell him to leave as soon as he woke up. At the same time, they lived in fear that someone would coincidentally find this man when he couldn’t make it and condemn them of killing him. Or what would happen if his enemy found him? 

On the third day, the man woke up. As planned, they explained to him his situation and urged him to leave, but the man couldn’t even stand up Seeing the two homely farmers’ complicated expressions, he asked them where his armour and his necklace were. They brought it for him, whereupon the man took from the armour a piece of round shaped jade of which the surface was carved a fan. He gave it and the necklace to the man and said, “I know you are apprehensive about the disaster that I might bring to your family. I’m grateful that you decided to save me, and I know that I should leave immediately. Unfortunately, I can’t even move my body now. I admit I am using your kindness that now I’m asking you to do me the last favour. Could you please help me give these things to the Uchiha compound in the capital? There will be someone who comes here right after seeing them.”

My lady’s parents indeed felt puzzled and had the dithers. The capital was quite far from their home and too dangerous to them, but it was much better to pretend not to see him on the shore than to save him and abandon him to death, so they agreed and expressed their concerns that what happed if they met his enemy. The man looked at the baby and said, “Hold the baby with you and act like you are selling vegetables from the countryside to the city. They won’t doubt. Remember only show my things when you meet an Uchiha.”

“I can’t risk my child.”

“I can guarantee it will be safe. No one will harm a baby in the capital. This law is very strict.”

“I can’t. What happens if your enemy wants to kill us all? Even you are here now.”

The man became speechless. The farmer was too honest to chase away doubt when going alone, and he definitely wouldn’t risk his life, leaving his wife and baby alone. After a while, the man looked at the baby and asked, “Is it a baby boy?”

“It’s a girl.”

He looked around the thatched cottage and said, “In your situation, she can’t get a good husband in the future.”

My lady’s parents looked at their child in sadness and shame. The mother asked directly, “What do you mean by changing the topic to my child?”

The man took a deep breath and calmly said, “Sorry to bother you and even use you. You might not know who the Uchihas are, but I know you could guess something from my conversation etiquette and my clothes. I can’t tell you who I am but just generally I am an Uchiha. I have two sons. The elder brother is four years old, and the younger brother is nine months old. The elder brother will be my cl…family’s heir, so he will be engaged with a lady of the same background. If you can help me, your daughter will be my youngest son’s betrothed. I can promise you that she will become his wife when they are mature. She will be guaranteed what she is supposed to have in the wife position, not a mistress or a concubine. Frankly speaking, you are low-born, and thus, your child will never have a chance to get married to a high-born man.”

The couples exchanged looks.

The man continued, “I know you can’t risk your life just to save a stranger like me. If you agree to help me, just come back once you feel it’s dangerous. I won’t ask more but hope that you give it a try.”

So finally, the farmer agreed. 

A woman staying at home with her father after a mature age is supposed to be a shame. The farmer was too poor to give his daughter a good marriage like what the man said.

As expected, the capital was guarded very strictly since a high official disappeared. Guarding in such a way can be interpreted in two ways.

The first is that they are trying to find him and view his missing as a potential attack from someone else.

The second is that they are trying to prevent him from coming back. If any suspicious man appears, the gatekeeper can make up a reason to prison that man or even kill him.

The farmer hid the piece of jade in his shoe and the necklace on his daughter’s neck. The man did tell him that the necklace could only be recognised by his wife and explained that he wouldn’t write anything for him to give his wife since it was dangerous if the gatekeeper demanded to examine his body.

“Even if you are caught, just say that you collect my things on a shore and intend to sell them for some money. If they ask where you took them, just honestly tell them where you found me.”

The farmer took his vegetables and passed the gate successfully. He found the Uchiha compound by remembering the directions that the man had described instead of causing suspicion when asking for directions. Once he approached it, the two gatekeepers coldly asked him to go away. Neither of them had a scar on their faces as the man had told him, so the farmer didn’t know what to do next. He was too honest and simple, and thus, the gatekeepers arrested him, for he looked worriedly like doing something bad.

He screamed out that he was innocent but close-mouthed about his purpose until a gentlewoman passed by, asking what happened.

The farmer saw the man with a scar on the face standing behind the lady, but he wasn’t sure whether it was the right person. The lady, who looked careworn, ordered them to let the farmer leave. Smartly, he noticed the respectful and courteous manners of the gatekeepers, along with the kindness of the lady, he risked calling her to stop when watching their figures gradually disappearing into the compound. He walked towards the lady who he made a bet to be the man’s wife and showed her his child, “I’m poor and want to sell vegetables to buy milk for my child, but no one bought for me since I’m new here.”

The lady looked at the child and saw the necklace that the farmer intentionally showed. Colour crept out of her face, but she quickly kept her composure, coldly asked the servant to arrest him with the reason for his bad intention to spy on the Uchihas. The farmer cried out but to no avail, but at night, a guard came to take him to meet the lady.

“I’m sorry to make you scared,” she courteously and apologetically said. “I can’t trust many people now. Can I hold the baby?”

The farmer, still in terror, held the child tight in his arms.

Seeing that, the lady explained, “I had to act carefully not to show any happiness or surprise. Who knows someone is spying on this compound? We stood near the gate at that time. You intentionally showed me the necklace, then you must know whom it belongs to.”

The farmer trembled and gave her his child, eyeing her every action. She carefully took the child and caressed its face then held the necklace in her hand, worriedly asked, “Where is my husband?”

The farmer told her everything. The lady issued an order to the man with the scar to silently go with the farmer, dressed in the servant’s attire at night with a doctor and two soldiers, while she requested to be presented at court to see His Majesty early in the morning, for she didn’t trust the ones who wanted to assassinate her husband would stop if they sensed he was alive. The only person she at least could trust was the emperor, but even the emperor couldn’t control everything, so she had to make a move first by ordering her clansmen to quietly depart before she announced that she had found her husband. The two soldiers were known for being assigned to investigate her husband’s missing, and hence, no one would doubt if they did their jobs and moved at night. Her meeting’s purpose was to guarantee at least no one played under the table to prevent her husband from coming back.

And that was why my lady became Patriarch Sasuke’s betrothed. 

2.

At five years old, the Fifth Princess appeared in my lady’s life. Every two years, she went to the countryside to select kids to teach medicine. Children for noble families usually refused to learn since they already had a luxurious life. A son would inherit the property and even the title of his father; a daughter would be engaged with a man of the same class and rely on them to maintain a rich life, so why did they need to try? To a poor family and the child itself, this was a chance to change their lives, for the Fifth Princess would give that family annually money in case their child was selected, and the child would have a stable job or even become a noble doctor, but studying Medicine was too difficult, not many children were qualified, and thus, the Fifth Princess sometimes came back with no one. Her test was usually to teach them first about some similar herbs and ask them to distinguish them.

My lady passed the test with good memory and the ability to smell to distinguish two similar herbs.

Hence, she left home for the capital with the Fifth Princess at the age of five, bringing along with her the necklace to prove her betrothed’s title, left by the current head of the Uchiha clan after listening to her father’s story.

I first met my lady when I was six years old. The Chief Chamberlain led twenty of us walking in two rows of ten people, following her to the Training Building. We stopped when she stopped, immediately kneeled on the side of the road, for the His Highness the Second Prince stood there and didn’t move. I surreptitiously peered at what was happening.

“Who are you to run and bump to His Royal Highness?” the servant of His Highness angrily said. “Are you blind?”

The little girl who fell on the ground with a basket of herbs innocently looked at His Highness, quickly took a tiny light pink wildflower and gave it to him. The servant was about to reproach that little girl, but His Highness raised his hand to gesture him to shut up. He squatted down and took the wildflower, looked at it for a while before sonorously asked her, “Give it to me?”

She nodded.

“Why?”

“I bumped into you.”

“Is it a way to say sorry?”

She nodded.

“But why must it be a flower?”

“I love flowers.”

“This is just a wildflower.”

“But it’s the only one I could find today,” she hurriedly explained. “It’s hard to find a flower on the rocky mountain.”

“What’s your name?”

“Hana.”

His Highness looked at her attire, “The Fifth Princess’s apprentice?”

“Yes.”

“Go to the mountain to collect herbs?”

My lady nodded.

I saw His Highness used his sleeve to rub her face, dirty with the mug, “A girl should keep her face clean.”

Then without saying, he stood up and left, holding the flower in his hand.

Although the Fifth Princess was the person who taught my lady medicine, His Highness was the one who gave my lady a chance to enter the upper class, and thus, she was assigned a lady-in-waiting and required to learn courtesy in court and enjoyed one of the privileges of the upper class — how to read and write properly, not only how to read the name of herbs anymore.

The second time my lady met His Highness was in her monthly test with other apprentices. My lady told me that she didn’t know why His Highness suddenly came to see the test; even the Fifth Princess was surprised to see her uncle. My lady was the youngest among the apprentices but got the highest score. 

The third time my lady met His Highness was when my lady cooked herbal medicine in a clay pot and held a fan to wind the fire, concentrated so much that she didn’t realise His Royal Highness was standing behind. She was nearly scared to death after seeing him. Her face was covered with soot, making His Royal Highness smile and say, “A girl should keep her face clean.”

We all didn’t understand why His Highness the Second Prince decided to take care of my lady after those three times, and even the Fifth Princess had to call my lady to ask what happened. Before she left, the Fifth Princess told my lady, “My uncle is fond of you, then it’s your luck. Treasure it.”

I was a lady maid who was quite stupid, compared to others around me, but I was selected to be my lady’s lady-in-waiting. The Chief Chamberlain didn’t explain anything and only advised me to focus on my duty, “A lady-in-waiting’s life will attach to her lady’s life. You were chosen then treasure it.”

When my lady was required to learn courtesy at court, a woman from the Bureau of Courtesy Teachings came to teach my lady a long list of manners and manners, such as eating, talking, walking.

My lady already had to learn Medicine in the daytime, so she had to wake up much earlier to learn courtesy and waited for her teacher to teach characters an hour after dinner on weekdays. At weekends, she had to spend the whole morning to practice her courtesy lessons. The teachers were very strict and even punished my lady if she did wrong or forgot to do her homework. Since she was smart, memorising characters wasn’t difficult for my lady, but courtesy was a bundle of heavy lessons.

“Lift your head high a bit.”

“That’s too high.”

“You walk too fast.”

“On a tatami mat, you must walk enough 6 steps.”

“Don’t step on the edges of tatami mats.”

“You held the cup of tea too fast. Put it back on the table and hold it again! Right... Imagine it’s a heavy one, slowly lift it...that’s right.”

“The shoulders!”

“Don’t smile when walking.”

“Close your mouth.”

Every time His Highness paid a visit, my lady could rest a bit, so Lady Hana really loved to see His Highness. Although he usually laughed at my lady and listened to her childish complaints, he never once allowed her to stop studying even when he saw the teacher punished her.

One day, His Highness visited during the lessons about eating manners, and Lady Hana learnt very slowly and made a lot of mistakes. His Highness only said, “I don’t know when I can take you to have dinner with others. Why do you learn Medicine that fast?”

My lady sheepishly smiled.

The teacher, standing in the corner, said, “Lady Hana’s learning progress is indeed quite slow.”

His Highness glanced at her and casually said, “Who allowed you to comment on your lady?”

Just a casual question put pressure on my heart. As expected, the teacher could also feel it, hurriedly kneeled on the floor and bowed her head, “His Royal Highness, I’m wrong.”

The next day, the person who taught courtesy was changed to another teacher. This woman was also strict but very closemouthed. Every time His Highness came, she kept her head incline with her eyes that always seemed to look at the ground like a statue and only answered briefly when being asked, never added her opinions or strayed away from what she needed to answer. This is the manners we all had to learn on the first day of entering the palace. In the palace, ‘watch your mouth’ is the most important lesson to carve in the heart. The best way to go to death is through the mouth.

3.

Since my lady was learning how to write characters, she invented a new way to practice — writing letters. She started to write some very short daily stories and asked me to send them to her betrothed. 

I was allowed to leave the palace with the wooden token that High Highness gave to my lady as a pass for entry and exit for the palace, but it only worked for maids like me to buy things she liked. My lady was allowed to leave for mountains to collect herbs under the gold token of the Fifth Princess. 

I brought with me the first letter she wrote with a line, “Today the weather is quite windy.”

But my lady also told me not to tell him who the sender was, for she was abashed to show herself and also wanted to see who her betrothed was through letters. Hence, I called a boy, gave him a coin, and asked him to give the letter to the gatekeeper and urged him to reply. I stood afar in the evening, waiting for the boy to come back. 

“The gatekeeper asked me to whom you wanted to send it,” the boy said.

“Hm?” I frowned. “Did I tell you to send to the son of the head of the Uchiha clan?”

“He told me there were two sons,” the boy answered. “Which one?”

“Hm...,” I didn’t know much about this, so I answered, “to the one who has a betrothed.”

The boy ran to send the letter again, and this time it was successful that her betrothed also was at home, so I stood there waiting for a reply. 

When I came back, my lady was agog for news. I gave her the square-shaped paper that I received, and she quickly opened it. It had only one character which meant ‘warmth’.

Since then, my lady was extremely excited to play this game. Even the gatekeeper didn’t need to ask the boy to whom he should send it every time he saw him.

“Today I plucked a herb but damaged its root.”

“Study.”

“I was praised by my teacher today.”

“Good.”

“I received new clothes this morning.”

“Delight.”

“It rained all night last night, did you notice? I couldn’t send my letter due to the weather.”

“Yes.”

She wrote longer and longer but the replies were always one character. Sometimes when I sent the letter, her betrothed wasn’t at home, so we could receive two square-shaped papers or even more at once. Lady Hana used the wooden box carved with flowers and birds, given to her by His Highness to keep the replies.

4.

High Royal Highness was indeed very serious in educating my lady. She wasn’t a princess or a daughter of a noble family but received the education of a royal lady and even more. News spread faster than fire catching the dry hay. Everyone knew that His Highness cared for a child as his own daughter.

My lady once got a bad score on the monthly test, making His Highness solemnly inquire her the reason.

“I was busy.”

“Busy what?” His Highness strictly asked. “Your age is only to study and study. I don’t ask you to earn money.”

“Busy studying...”

“Then why was your score this month that bad?”

My Lady stubbornly looked at the ground, “Study how to cook.”

“Who asked you to study it?” His Highness was taken aback by her unexpected answer.

“My friends in the Health Bureau laughed at me because I didn’t know how to cook a meal.”

Seeing a bright child like Lady Hana scared of him, His Highness gained back his composure to soften his tone of voice, “What will you do if they laugh at you because you don’t know how to make clothes while you’re good at cooking?”

My Lady innocently looked at him, “I don’t know.”

“Between being an expert in a certain aspect and knowing everything but not being able to master any one of them, which one will you choose?”

“Being an expert,” Lady Hana answered, looking at the floor.

“Lift your head and look straight at me to answer,” His Highness gravely said. “Don’t bow your head in unnecessary situations.”

“I choose to be an expert,” she lifted her head but nearly cried, “but they laughed at me.”

“Hana,” His Highness picked her up and let her sit on his lap for the first time, even making me surprised, and I didn’t think she noticed it, “you should carefully consider what is the most important thing to dedicate your time among what you like. Cooking can be learnt at any time, but Medicine is a different story. Mastering cooking can help you to become a chef in the palace, but is being a chef your dream? Your time is limited, and your brain and even your body will become worse when you’re old. At a certain point, you cannot study difficult things anymore. Now you’re just seven years old, and you feel there might be plenty of time to fulfil your wishes, then you dawdle here and there, letting other people and other things to distract you from your dream. If this situation persists, you will learn no skill and never truly achieve anything in life. At that time, regret them as you might, there is no way to ask time to return what’s lost.”

“But I still feel I’m not good enough compared to them,” Lady Hana cried out this time.

“Comparing yourself with other people is the stupidest thing in the world,” His Highness carefully explained while wiping out her tears. “There is always at least a person who is better than you in a certain aspect. To those who laugh at you, no matter how good you are, they still find a reason to laugh at you. Caring for their opinions and trying to please everyone is tiring and impossible. In the end, they still laugh, and you lose yourself.”

“Then what should I do?”

“What is your dream?”

“To become a doctor.”

“Then focus on it. You can’t just stop at every dog which barks at you. People who laugh at you will laugh at you only when they receive your hurt reaction. If you ignore them, they will be embarrassed. Once you achieve your dream, they are still struggling with their lives. Do you know that the number of apprentices mostly stay stable or even less while the Fifth Princess brings new children back every two years?”

Lady Hana was so curious that she opened her eyes wide and forgot her sadness, eagerly asked, “Why?”

“They came in with the same dream as you but left for a nobleman that they thought could bring them a forever home.”

“Then?”

“You’re too young.”

“I can understand!”

“Huh?”

“Then? Then? Then?” Lady Hana pulled His Highness’ sleeve, urged him to answer. “What happened next?”

“Then they had a forever happy home,” His Highness wore a wry smile on his face. “But it’s not your dream, so don’t study them. It’s late. Your fairytale storytime ends here. Go to sleep and focus on your study. I don’t want to see a bad score next month.”

5.

When Lady Hana was eight years old, her courses didn’t become less or easier but even more and more difficult. His Highness started to test her reading and writing, even brought her to some small meetings to see the results of her courtesy learning. Lady Hana indeed didn’t like them and smart enough to know when to bargain with His Highness.

“Do you see them?” His Royal Highness asked, pointing to the sky.

Lady Hana lifted her head, letting the light water on her hair, “The clouds?”

“That’s right,” His Royal Highness said. “They are all clouds.”

Lady Hana, who learnt from previous experience that there was something he meant to teach her, looked at His Royal Highness in waiting.

“How can a cloud meet a cloud? Think.”

“Hm…,” Lady Hana pondered while looking at the sky, “the wind.”

“And?”

“Hm…”

“Clouds have many layers,” His Highness hinted.

Lady Hana clapped her hands, happily said, “the same height.”

His Highness nodded, “Even clouds are clouds, but to meet each other, at least they must be at the same height. Hana, do you understand my intention?”

Lady Hana nodded, “You want me to study and become a royal lady, and thus, I can meet the people of the upper class.”

“Smart,” His Highness smiled, stroking her hair. “Hana, don’t believe in the fairy tales where a rich man married a poor girl or an intelligent man married a stupid woman. Not to mention, women usually have some pride not to bow their heads to men they consider less intelligent than them, whereas men have some pride not to allow their women to surpass them in terms of intelligence but at the same time look down at those who are stupid. They must have something at the same height to meet each other. I have been forcing you to learn how to read and write, how to walk and eat courteously, and you might find that it is difficult to adapt to the royal manners, but it’s good for you.”

“Too complicated to understand,” Lady Hana pouted.

“Just two years passed, and now you dare to pout in front of me,” His Highness smiled. “In other words, will you agree to get married to a man who is illiterate when you are literate now?”

Lady Hana became silent.

“There is no way to turn back now, Hana. You can be an illiterate woman then get married to a farmer and have a peaceful life in poverty. But now you are literate and getting used to courteous manners. The price of it is sometimes to lose simplicity and peace. Each has its cost. You’re smart, which decides your fate must be different. Your life is not to stay in a corner and be forgotten, Hana.”

“But is it necessary to meet people of the upper class?” Lady Hana frowned sadly.

“Not necessary,” His Highness calmly replied, “but as I said, there is no way to turn back now.”

“Huh?”

“To be the Second Prince’s favourite child, you have to bear the weight of that. I can have as many children as I want, but I don’t, for fear that I have a child whom I can’t teach and that it acts like children in some noble families, enjoying their titles and money, a part of which is from the tax of many people, and at the same not showing enough abilities to stand in such places while complaining about their heavy learning courses. To stand in a high place when your ability is too low is a shame. It is even worse when they don’t feel ashamed. Do you know why I chose you?”

Lady Hana shook her little head.

“The first time was the wind. The second time was the potential height that you could reach. The third time was proof that you are hardworking and down to earth even after getting the highest score. I didn’t do it for charity, Hana, although I admit the wind was unexpectedly soothing. Being the Second Prince's favourite child,” His Highness reiterated, “must pay something in return. Don’t let me disappointed.”  


6.

At the eleventh month of the same year, Lady Hana heard that there was a drill outside the capital and believed it was the best way to see the Uchihas from afar. Yet, she wasn’t allowed to leave the palace alone, and even if she were, the gate where soldiers controlled the entry and exit for the capital on that day was another problem, for it would be strictly guarded around that time. We were discussing such a matter in the palace garden when a mild lady appeared to feed us with information. She told us that we should have at least the gold token of authority to be allowed to pass that gate.

“Gold token of authority? The Fifth Princess has it.” 

Lady Hana left the palace for the mountains to pluck herbs with the Fifth Princess, so she saw it before.

“That’s right,” the mild lady smiled.

“She won’t give it to me.”

“I heard that His Highness the Second Prince really loved you,” the mild lady suggested. “You can ask him then.”

“He definitely won’t allow me to go there,” Lady Hana indeed started to understand His Highness.

“Then secretly borrow it,” the mild lady nonchalantly said.

My lady was terrified, “Do you mean stealing?”

“Not stealing,” she corrected, “just secretly borrowing. You can return it to its place after you take it.”

My lady frowned. She indeed wanted to ask more, but the mild lady excused herself.

Finally, my lady decided to secretly borrow it as suggested. Since Lady Hana was known by all the maids and servants in His Highness the Second Prince’s building inside the palace, she could freely walk around without difficulties thus secretly borrow the jade token of authority, which is represented even higher power than the gold one.

We successfully passed the two gates and ran to see the drill. To view it clearly, we walked to one of the fortresses with the jade token. My lady and I were carried away to see the power of His Highness’s token. It was unquestionably a monumental performance, but we weren’t allowed to stay closer to find her betrothed.

And we were caught.

“Who are you to be here?” 

My lady and I were startled by the sudden voice from behind. 

They were two young boys.

My lady honestly replied, “I’m here to find my betrothed.”

“Your betrothed?” The jovial boy, who looked older than the other one, asked as if my lady was joking.

“Of course!!!” Lady Hana proudly stated. “I’m telling the truth!”

That boy even laughed harder, “Then who is he?”

“An Uchiha!”

That boy stopped laughing, quickly exchanged looks with the other boy, then looked at my lady, pondered, “There are many Uchihas here. Who knows you lied?”

My lady got angry because of his obvious doubt, “The youngest son of the head of the Uchiha clan!”

This time, that jovial boy started to laugh out loud, “Sasuke?!!! Ichi,” he wiped his tears, turned to the calm boy standing next to him, “did you hear that? My! Little Sasuke has a betrothed! This is the most amazing joke ever!!!”

My lady was about to argue when we heard a full serene and youthful voice, “Sasuke indeed has a betrothed.”

“H...huh??? Really?! I think only you have one.”

“Both of us have,” the calm boy said, “Sasuke’s betrothed was decided for him even much earlier than me, but he is too young to know it. My father and mother planned to tell him when he turns 10.”

When the jovial boy was so shocked that he couldn’t speak a word, the calm boy bent his boy, showed his right hand, “I’ll take you to see him, okay?”

My lady happily smiled and put her little hand into his.

That was a beautiful fresh afternoon after the drill finished and everyone started to have lunch. Lord Ichi took my lady’s hand and walked through to the crowd to the largest hut, which surprised his parents and Patriarch Sasuke (at this time I should write him 'Lord Sasuke' instead, but I got used to calling him Patriarch Sasuke).

“Who is she?” Lady Uchiha asked.

“A child I met outside,” Lord Ichi smiled. My lady already promised not to say anything when he took us inside. 

“Hm?” General Uchiha raised his eyebrows. “You can’t just take any child you meet to the military drill.”

“Don’t scare them!” Lady Uchiha smiled, waved her hand towards my lady and I. “Come here. Have you had lunch yet?”

My lady shook her little head. 

Lady Uchiha called for two bowls and two pairs of chopsticks to invite us to have lunch with them. Patriarch Sasuke sat next to General Uchiha and opposite my lady, who kept surreptitiously watching him (but obvious to everyone, including Patriarch Sasuke). Lady Uchiha smiled and suddenly said, “Your clothes look quite familiar.”

At that time, General Uchiha also observed my lady, “the Health Bureau?”

My lady nodded.

“Then how can you come here? To pass the gates for the palace and the capital?”

At first, they all thought we were children who lived nearby, not from the palace.

My lady exchanged looks with me, sheepishly said, “We have a jade token.”

General Uchiha frowned seriously, “How can a child have a jade token?”

My lady took the jade token and put it on the table.

General Uchiha looked even more serious, “This belongs to His Royal Highness the Second Prince. How can you get it?”

My lady innocently said, “I stole it.”

All colour drained from Lady Uchiha’s face. Patriarch Sasuke looked at my lady like ‘Is this girl crazy?’. Lord Ichi was also surprised to hear it. General Uchiha reacted most dramatically, “What?!”

Right at that time, a soldier stood outside the hut and said, “General, His Royal Highness the Second Prince came.”

General Uchiha sighed, “You cannot avoid disaster if it means to find you.”

What General Uchiha worried was just to be condemned for plotting someone to steal His Highness’s jade token for personal interest. Stealing a token of authority, especially the one that belongs to a powerful person, is categorised as one of the most severe crime since the token guarantees many rights, some of which even include the rights to deploy the troops. 

It is courteous to welcome a person of higher standing at the gate and walk with him into the house, so General Uchiha had to walk outside with his family to bow to His Highness.

When they walked into the hut, he nonchalantly said, “I just come to check whether my jade token has wings.”

My lady was the first one who stood up with a straight back while I, her accomplice, tried to refrain myself from shaking with fear. When you do ‘not good’ things in secret, you are excited; when being caught, you are scared to death.

General Uchiha seemed to realise at least the disaster didn’t come as expected. He calmly said, “I found her outside and invited her here.”

He used ‘I’ instead of ‘my son’ or ‘Ichi’. This meant he didn’t let his guard down and planned to take responsibility if anything happened.

His Highness still didn’t change his tone of voice, “I’m sorry to let her bother your warm lunch. Not having had lunch yet, I had to run here.”

“I’m sorry,” General Uchiha laughed. “It’s my fault. We should have invited you.”

The lunch resumed with one more person. After we finished, His Highness thanked them for the meal, showing his intention to excuse himself by walking towards my lady to pick her up as a father who dearly loved his daughter. When we walked outside, I noticed His Highness’s Lady Chamberlain of the First Rank also presented, and I was asked to sit in the same carriage with her while my lady was with His Highness. Seeing my confusion, she strictly said, “Do you think that His Highness didn’t get angry?”

I worriedly looked at her, “But His Highness didn’t reprimand Lady Hana.”

“Stupid!” 

I quickly inclined my head.

“His Highness did so because he wanted to keep face for Lady Hana. Reprimanding her in front of other people could injure her self-esteem. Did you notice he picked her up? Normally, His Highness never acts like that, especially in public. That gesture was to send a message to the Uchihas that Lady Hana was important to him.”

“Thank you for your precious teachings,” I courteously and sincerely said.

“I ask you,” she strictly said. “Who came up with the idea of stealing the jade token?”

Hence, I told her everything, including the talk we shared with a random mild lady, which Lady Chamberlain frowned as though she encountered a danger, “Do you know that stealing a token of authority will be charged with a dead penalty?”

I startled, paled, “I don’t know!”

“Stupid!”

“But...we...we...”

“You mean the one who advised you?”

“Yes!!!”

“At least you are not too stupid to notice that lady isn’t anything good.”

“Can we...?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“I ask you, who stole the jade token of His Highness?”

“Lady Hana.”

“Then,” she raised her voice, “what did the person who told Lady Hana so do? Who is that person? What did she do? Who witnessed? It’s just dialogue. Whoever believes will be a feast on other people’s table. In this palace, there is nothing called who is innocent, only who can hide their crimes the best. You carve this into your mind for me.”

“I got it.”

“From now on, you must remember that you are not only Lady Hana’s maid who let her do anything she wants. His Highness has a good eye for people. He chose you, then it must have some reasons behind it. He wanted to let Lady Hana have a friend, which is why you was selected instead of an older experienced lady-in-waiting. Advise her when you need, or at least report to His Highness as soon as you can. Don’t be stupid like today.”

“What if Lady Hana doesn’t listen to me?”

“She does. Do you know why I was assigned to talk with you instead of with Lady Hana?”

I shook my head then waited.

“His Highness wants to keep his only pure pond here clean. Teaching Lady Hana to be a clever woman instead of exposing her to dirty things here is what His Highness wants. I am just a maid after all; I don’t have the right to judge or guess what my master does. I can’t tell you more. Lady Hana is lucky to be able to catch His Highness’s attention, but good things won’t come without any high cost. Just think, since he focused on her, has Lady Hana’s life changed a lot? Good and bad things come at the same time. Some people will stay away from her; some people will plot her. In return, she has a chance to learn how to read and write. His Highness’s care can bring her many advantages; yet, suddenly getting good things can lead to jealousy.”

She took a deep breath and seriously looked at me, “People usually don’t like those who stand in a higher position than them and hate those who are better them. They can’t stand in that position, can’t be better, then dragging others down is the only option. Staying in this palace, don’t ask anything like fair or unfair, right or wrong. Who can live to the end is the winner. Keep an eye on Lady Hana. His Highness chose to treat her as his daughter instead of others, and he hates people who tell lies to him the most. Lady Hana is not a stupid person; she just doesn’t have enough experience. Stay with her; advise her. She will listen to you.”

After that event, I guessed Lord Ichi told Lady Uchiha what my lady said in the fortress, for she sent a letter to my lady to inform of her visit to see the necklace and came back with the confirmation to General Uchiha, who called Patriarch Sasuke to explain to him everything. That was all that I knew. Maybe he didn’t expect it, or maybe he was shocked, but he would have a betrothed sooner or later, thus I didn’t think it took him too long to accept it.

In fact, Patriarch Sasuke treated my lady very kindly as what he was expected to do courteously, but that was the story when my lady was 10 years old, for His Highness prohibited her to leave the palace without his permission with the reason that it was best for her to focus on her study. Lady Uchiha also cleverly explained this matter to His Highness. I didn’t know his reaction, but he seemed to neither object to it nor support it. My lady still could write letters and leave with the Fifth Princess for mountains as usual, or she could ask me to go to the market to buy some sweets on the street.

7.

His Highness had an admirer, a very loyal official, Lord Danzo.

I once saw them play ‘go’, and Lord Danzo’s manners when playing with His Highness could speak greatly his respect to him. His Highness lounged comfortably, casually took the pieces out of the jade bowl to put on the ‘go’ board, while Lord Danzo maintained a very carefully respectful posture, sat a little back from the board, thus leaned towards every time he made his move when politely raising his other hand to draw back the hanging flap of his sleeve.

Since they usually played at weekends, my lady also often visited His Highness around that time if she finished all of her homework. Lord Danzo was quite close to His Highness, for he once playfully commented that Lady Hana knew how to wheedle His Highness by acting cute, but His Highness only smiled at my lady and said, “You see, even Danzo can see your trick.”

My lady once asked His Highness how to win a ‘go’ battle, and His Highness calmly replied, “To play this game, don’t try to win, but try not to lose. You just need to think of the position that can lead you to lose fastest and avoid it. In a battle, there is no winner, only who loses faster.”

Later, His Highness decided to teach my lady to play his favourite game that he never lost once in his life, but the results were quite hard to explain.

“How long do you need to make the next move?”

“Just a little bit more.”

His Highness’s tea became cold.

“Have you decided yet?”

“Just a little bit more.”

His Highness’s tea was changed to a new one. My lady finally made a move, and His Highness mercilessly put his black piece to the most prominent position, eating many of my lady’s white pieces.

“It’s unfair!”

“Why is it unfair?”

“You are more experienced than me.”

“Okay, I’ll let you make 10 moves first.”

My lady eagerly found back her spirit and played again.

After my lady’s twelfth move, His Highness mercilessly did it once more time.

“Can we undo this move?” Lady Hana acted cute.

“Okay.”

She excitedly took His Highness’s move away and put the board back to her eleventh move and made another one.

After her fifteenth move, His Highness mercilessly did it once more time.

“Can we undo this move?” Lady Hana acted cute again.

“Okay.”

And the whole afternoon went on like this:

“Can we undo this move?”

“Okay.”

“Can we undo this move?” 

“Okay.”

“Can we undo this move?”

“...”

“Can I?”

“Why don’t you just say it directly that you want to play again at the first move?” His Highness lost his patience.

“Really? Can we???”

“...”

8.

When Lady Hana was 9 years old, a group of government emissaries from the neighbour country visited. Among the emissaries was a beautiful princess about sixteen years old. The age of seventeen is considered to be too old to get married. The princess was single.

At that time, His Majesty, as a matter of courtesy, opened a luxurious banquet to welcome them, and His Highness, His Majesty’s beloved younger brother, was also invited. Lady Hana, who already got used to courteous manners, was allowed to go with him and delightfully enjoyed many dishes that she hadn’t had a chance to taste before. She was arranged to sit in a corner, for she had no real title, and His Highness knew it was a suitable position for her since she would focus on eating instead of watching dancers.

“Why does the princess keep looking at His Highness?” Lady Hana used her sleeve to cover her chewing mouth while murmuring to me her question.

I bent my body to answer, “I think she finds His Highness...hm...attractive.”

The princess, in fact, aimed to be His Highness’s wife. His Highness was more than 30 years old, but he was a man, after all. To be his wife was granted many rights; there was no surprise that the princess targeted His Highness, who presented to show respect to His Majesty but didn’t care anything. Sometimes he glanced at the mouse who focused on chewing this and that so happily that dancing, music, chatting were useless to her. His Highness even had to call his servant to tell me not to let my lady eat too much; otherwise, she might feel sick.

But the princess noticed it. My lady was only known to be His Highness’s favourite child within the palace and, of course, some officials. This princess thought His Highness loved my lady as a man to...hm...her imagination was too much. And coincidentally, the princess also mastered Medicine. She tried to show off her knowledge very cleverly by talking about food and drinks and the gifts she brought here as one of the representatives in her country and then ignited the game to ask and answer riddles, which created an exciting atmosphere and gradually led to a secret fight between two countries, for once one lost, it was proof that that country lacked knowledge.

She did ask a question about herbal medicine. The Fifth Princess wasn’t there, so my lady just answered out of curiosity, making that princess ask two more questions to challenge her, but my lady could answer them without effort. The princess could only laugh it off and praised my lady, who indeed innocently smiled with her reddened face. She became famous that night, and the news started to spread that a prodigy in Medicine was the Fifth Princess’s apprentice.

But His Highness got angry.

He called my lady to meet him right in that night.

“Who called you to answer the question?” His Highness gravely said.

“No one,” Lady Hana innocently replied, “but am I wrong when answering a question that everyone wants to find an answer?”

“But no one called you to answer.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Let me tell you a story,” His Highness closed his eyes then slowly opened them, “there was a woman who got married to a man whose family once belonged to the upper class. Women aren’t allowed to learn how to read and write, especially in a normal family, but that woman was taught characters by her husband. Her husband and her father-in-law usually left home for business, and her mother-in-law had to hire a man to write letters for her as she was illiterate. Later they knew the woman knew how to write well, so they stopped hiring others to write for them to save money but asked the woman instead. Do you think it’s good?”

Lady Hana frowned her little eyebrows, tilted her head, “Helping a family member is good, right?”

His Highness calmly said, “No, it’s bad.”

Lady Hana opened her eyes wide to show her confusion, and then His Highness continued, “Later there was a fight between the father-in-law and the mother-in-law. She kept telling her daughter-in-law to write letters to explain herself to her husband, but the husband not only didn’t reply but also refused to come home. When the husband came home and asked how she dared say those words in the letters, she condemned her daughter-in-law for twisting her words, making her husband misunderstand her.”

“But…”

“Hana,” His Highness solemnly looked at her, “don’t argue who was truly innocent here. There is a reason why a businessman never works with his relatives. To strangers, you can do everything following a set of rules; to relatives, helping them is normal, but refusing to help them is a sin in their mouths. The mother-in-law never felt grateful for all of the letters her daughter-in-law wrote for her but immediately condemned her without a single thought of the past. Talent can help you and also can bring disaster to you. Use it wisely. Have you ever thought of what will happen after you answer that question? You gained a good reputation, Hana, and everyone is spreading it now. They don’t dare to touch a finger of the Fifth Princess, but you are a different story. What happens if they call you to cure a man you accidentally pass by?”

“I will cure him.”

“With or without money if his family is extremely poor?”

“For free.”

“Then what happens if many people plot to let you see their family members are sick and need treatments for free?”

Lady Hana timidly said, “I’m okay.”

“Wrong,” His Highness strictly looked into Lady Hana’s eyes. “They will take granted for what you have done for them, Hana. You save a man one time without asking anything back, then it is a good gesture. You save many men without any rules, then no one will be grateful for it. Later, if you set the rules, they will spread a rumour that you are selfish.”

“But I save them.”

“What happens if he dies?”

Lady Hana inclined her head, “A doctor can’t cure everything.”

“But they don’t think so.”

“I don’t understand.”

His Highness sighed, “They will spread the news that you are not as good as the rumour says, and your reputation will be destroyed. In this world, a bad person does a good deed, and everyone will say he is also a good person; a good person does a bad deed only once, accidentally or intentionally, selfless or selfish, and everyone will say he is a bad person. Hana, now you successfully create your good reputation as a talented doctor, have you ever thought of what they will treat you after they plot you to save someone on the street? If you refuse, they will say you are heartless. If you agree and successfully save that person, they will ask you more. If that person dies, your reputation will be destroyed forever. That is the cruelty of humans’ minds.”

Lady Hana didn’t say anything.

“The Fifth Princess is cleverer than you. She has been studying in silence and only revealed it when she was mature enough. She set the rules right at the very beginning and never once breaks her rules. Even if she breaks one of them, she will create a reason to do so, Hana. Everybody will demand you to treat them well to prove you are a good person, and even if you save a hundred people but ignore only one, you will be condemned for heartlessness.”

“Then what should I do now?”

“Stay at home,” His Highness said. “Don’t go outside these days. I’ll tell the Fifth Princess to rearrange your time to the mountain this week. Focus on your study. Now you’re still a child, and attacking you is easier than the Fifth Princess. If anyone sends you a request or a challenge about medicine, reject all of them and modestly reply that you need to study more. Until the dust settles, you have to stay at home. In the future, don’t show your intelligence that easily. When no one asks you, keep silent. When stupidity can save you from a threat, act stupid. When you grow up and fully gain your knowledge and experience, show it wisely, at that time, no one can complain of you anymore.”

As what His Royal Highness guessed, the next day the princess of that neighbour country sent a ‘friendly’ challenge to Lady Hana, who promptly asked me to send a modest reply to refuse her invitation. However, everything didn’t end there. The next day, a rumour that Lady Hana cowardly refused to share knowledge, and thus, she was condemned for defaming her motherland in front of representatives of the neighbour country. 

“See?” His Highness nonchalantly asked.

“I’m wrong.”

Then he turned to Lord Danzo and commanded, “Tomorrow, spread another rumour that the princess of the neighbour country is much older than Hana and has more experience but intended to use Hana to boost her talent and stamp on our country’s reputation. This is an act of warring.”

Lord Danzo courteously inclined his head, “My Highness, I will do what you said.”

If His Highness said he could only be the number two in plotting people, no one would dare to occupy the number one position. He upgraded the rumour to a completely new level — an act of warring. 

The princess left in silence some days later.

9.

When my lady was 10 years old, His Majesty passed away, leaving the will that the His Highness would be the new emperor, for the Crown Prince was too young, but His Highness refused that title, nevertheless. 

Hence, he advised the bureaucracy to let the Crown Prince become the Emperor with the promise that he would assist and teach him instead. In other words, although His Highness didn’t sit in the most powerful chair, most powers were in his hands, and thus, my lady’s position also changed. She originally didn’t have any title, but everyone just knew she was His Highness the Second Prince’s favourite child. Now she still didn’t have any title and still wore the attire of an apprentice in the Health Bureau, but everyone in the palace silently kept in mind that she should be treated like a princess of the first rank — the rank that only daughters of the Empress could enjoy.

Lady Hana once asked His Highness a question that no one dared to ask him, “Why did you refuse to be the emperor?”

“That position can only bring you a headache,” His Highness nonchalantly said. “I have enough power now.”

“Headache?”

“Hana, every decision that the emperor makes will only satisfy half of people at most because everyone’s interest is different. No decision can satisfy all, which means you will always receive criticism when sitting in that chair.”

“But you are not the one who cares about what others are talking about you.”

His Highness smiled softly, “You start to understand me.”

My lady beamed and climbed onto his lap, “So why did you refuse it? I read many fairytales where a hero became a king. It’s enjoyable.”

“Hero? A hero can’t sit in that chair.”

“Why?”

“I ask you, is charity good or bad?”

“Good.”

“What happens if they refuse to work and rely on charity?”

“Hm...”

“This world always lectures you that giving away things for free is good, but it doesn’t. Free has a very expensive cost. A hero is supposed to do everything that benefits everyone. No one could live such a life, Hana. In that position, you must learn many dirty ploys and schemes to protect yourself and attack possible opponents while protecting your good reputation. It is a must, Hana.”

“But...you are smart.”

“I have enough power, and I want to enjoy my life.”

“But does it mean even a person with a good reputation can do bad things?”

“Exactly! Hana, don’t trust anything you see or hear. What you see isn’t necessarily the truth. So is what you hear.”

“I don’t understand.”

“For example, a group of men use the tax money for themselves, then later it is discovered. Is it good?”

“Is there something behind?”

His Highness smiled, “What if those who take responsibility for corruption are the ones that the others want to eliminate?”

“Huh?”

“They work with each other, and the information they have is always more than you. It’s just who plays the role of a friend or an opponent at that time. There is no forever friend or forever opponent. Only who benefits whom. Even in my position, there is something I have to pretend that I don’t see. Focus on your own life and fulfil your dream, Hana. Things we allow you to know is what we want you to know. No supreme power exists. A story where a hero became a leader who was loved by everyone is the stupidest one to believe.”

10.

One day, Lady Hana was cooking herbal medicine in the small kitchen when we heard someone alarmed, “Find him!”

I wasn’t allowed to interfere in Lady Hana’s study, so I only stood in the corner of the kitchen. Lady Hana walked to the water pot to ladle out some water, and when she opened the water pot’s cover, she screamed out. I quickly ran to see what happened and saw a boy revealing his head on the water. My lady later held the ladle to hit on his head and savagely asked, “Who are you?!”

He was about to talk but promptly dived into the water pot again when a group of men ran back and yelled, “Find him!”

“Lady Hana, did you see anyone suspicious? We heard you screamed.”

My lady looked at the water pot and said, “No, I just saw a cockroach.”

After the group of men ran away, the boy stood up and shook his head, splashing waters everywhere, joyously said, “Beautiful girl, thank you!!!”

“Who are you then?” Lady Hana raised her ladle to threaten him.

“Namikaze! Just call me Namikaze.”

“I don’t want to know your name. What I want to know is what you are doing here!”

He climbed out, “They are just boring men who do boring things. I just accidentally threw some fruits at them, and they got angry!”

“Accidentally?”

Even a cow didn’t trust it was accidentally.

“Anyway,” he beamed. “You’re Hana, right? I heard that. Nice to meet you. And see you later!!!”

He ran away.

My lady frowned, “We have to change water now.”

While we were changing the water, we saw a gem token inside. Since we all learnt our lesson – once bitten, twice shy about taking other people’s tokens, my lady and I stupidly sat there watching it until the Fifth Princess came.

She looked at the gem token and laughed, “I’ll take it. Don’t worry. I know him.”

“But who is he?”

“He? The child of the Dowager’s younger sister. He is the same age as you,” she smiled ironically. “Although he loves to cause troubles to everyone, that one is a very kindhearted boy. If you meet him again, you can try talking with him. I’ll leave.”

Lord Namikaze was the person who took my lady to meet Lord Sasuke since they studied in the same class for children of noble families. 

“I don’t like him,” Lord Namikaze sneered. “Every day he goes to class with the same facial expression that never changes, but my teacher praises him so much that I can guess what he is going to say every time that damn Sasuke answers his question!!!”

But they indeed became good friends.

His Highness also allowed my lady to leave the palace at weekends as long as she came back on time and didn’t let her picnics affect her study.

11.

Patriarch Sasuke didn’t like to talk much, but he knew that he should treat my lady well since she was his betrothed. At least that was the reason why he didn’t have any idea when she pulled his sleeve. 

“Sasuke!”

“Sasuke! Sasuke!”

“Sasuke! Sasuke! Sasuke!”

“I am not deaf,” Patriarch Sasuke patiently said. “Just calling one time is enough.”

“But you don’t reply when I call you.”

Patriarch Sasuke continued to walk.

“Sasuke!”

“Sasuke! Sasuke!”

“Sasuke! Sasuke! Sasu…”

Patriarch Sasuke stopped and turned his head to look at my lady, “I’m not deaf.”

“But you don’t reply.”

“If you have anything to say, just simply say it. I’m not deaf.”

“Sasuke!”

“…”

“See? You didn’t reply!!! How can I know you are listening to me?”

“Sasuke!”

“…”

“Sasu…”

“I’m listening. What do you want to say?”

“I have nothing to say.”

“…”

“Sasuke.”

“…”

“Sasuke! Sasu…”

“Uh.”

“I’ll have a test tomorrow.”

“…”

“Sasu…”

“Uh.”

“After the test, we can go to play with Namikaze.”

“…”

“Sa…”

“Uh.”

“Is it okay?”

“Uh.”

“Sasuke!”

“Uh.”

“What will we play? Is fishing okay?”

“Uh.”

“Sasuke!”

“Uh.”

Finally, my lady successfully trained Patriarch Sasuke to ‘uh’ every time she called his name.

12.

“Loser, four more fish! Just four is not enough!”

“Damn you, Sasuke! I am the one who caught them! Not you! If I hadn’t caught them, you would have nothing to eat!!!”

“Without fire, you’ll eat the fish alive,” Patriarch Sasuke stood on the rock nonchalantly said, for he knew Lord Namikaze couldn’t make a fire with wood or stone. “Four more. Faster!”

“You!!!”

“Sasuke!” Lady Hana called him. “I already prepared the wood!”

“Namikaze,” Patriarch Sasuke said as though he bestowed Lord Namikaze an amnesty. “Four is enough.”

I felt the water was boiling with Lord Namikaze’s anger. He walked out of the river with a huff and declared he wouldn’t eat the fish.

“Good for us,” Patriarch Sasuke mercilessly remarked. “We now have four fish per three people.”

Lord Namikaze sat quite far and turned his back to us, determinedly showing his unyielding attitude. When the grilled fish’s enchanting savoury permeated, we all noticed Lord Namikaze’s body was shaking impatiently, and the distance between us seemed to be closer and closer. My lady giggled and said, “Sasuke, I’m full.”

I also said, “I’m full.”

I could feel Lord Namikaze’s ears were raising.

“I’m full,” Patriarch Sasuke casually said.

“But we still have one left,” Lady Hana pointed to the fourth fish, feigned worriedly saying.

Patriarch Sasuke didn’t change his tone of voice, glanced at the back of a person whose ears were raising their best to select intelligence, “Just throw it back to the river; at least some fish will eat it.”

“Sasuke!!!” Lord Namikaze rushed with the speed of thunder and light to snatch the fish. “This is wasting food!”

“Oh? Where is your unyielding spirit?”

“I…,” Lord Namikaze proudly stated. “Wasting food is not good, so I sacrificed my spirit!!!”

My lady couldn’t stand it anymore; she burst out laughing.

That was our first picnic.

13.

My lady usually ran to the Uchiha compound to find Patriarch Sasuke with Lord Namikaze, and thus, she got to know Lord Ichi’s betrothed, Lady Izu, who was Lord Ichi’s distant relative. They enjoyed their time together in a way that was much more intimate than with other people, for they could close the door and talk about anything only women were interested in. Sometimes they talked about flowers. Sometimes they brought their clothes to burn incense under them, making the room imbued with an evocative and beguiling air.

Lady Izu was an excellent horse rider, and she taught me lady the art of horse riding patiently. The two girls formed a very genuine relationship.

That year, there was some small contest in katana and archery within the Uchiha clan, and my lady tried to arrange her time to go with Lady Izu. Watching Patriarch Sasuke’s fight, Lady Hana blushed and covered her cheeks with her hands, “That’s my future man.”

Lady Izu teased her, “You even know how to use ‘my’ for him.”

My lady proudly said, “Because he will be my future man.”

Lady Izu giggled.

14.

“Here you are,” Patriarch Sasuke looked away while giving a doll to my lady.

“Huh?” Lady Hana looked at him in confusion. “Why did you suddenly give it to me?”

Patriarch Sasuke seemed to be annoyed, “I’ll give it to you then just take it. Why did you have to ask too much?”

“I only asked you one question,” Lady Hana sincerely proved her innocence, only making Patriarch Sasuke not knowing what to talk next. He held her hand and put the doll into it, “Just take it.”

My lady looked at the beautiful doll of which face was made of painted wood and body was dressed in silk clothes with embroidered flowers and suddenly became smart, “You want to give a gift to me to thank for my gift to you last time?”

“Uh.”

“Then just say it directly,” Lady Hana grumbled. “Is there anyone who gives a gift like you, as if forcing a sword on someone’s neck?”

I swear! I saw Patriarch Sasuke’s ears reddened!!!

“I gave it to you not only because you gave one to me.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t accept gifts from strangers.”

“Huh?”

“What I mean is that I accepted your gift because you are my betrothed, and I gave you one for the same reason.”

Lady Hana tilted her head, thinking hard, “You want to tell me that you are a boy with disciplines and won’t sleep around.”

“…”

I felt Patriarch Sasuke didn’t get used to the fact that Lady Hana suddenly became smart today. 

And my lady’s brain only became normal after she brought the doll back to her room. She happily yelled then held the doll to the sky, dancing around the room. This maybe was what Patriarch Sasuke had imagined seeing her reaction, but all he saw was beyond his imagination.

15.

My lady once tripped on her clothes and fell on Patriarch Sasuke, but she was unabashed to refuse to stand up. Patriarch Sasuke was worried that she was hurt somewhere at first, but later he discerned her true intention.

“Get up,” Patriarch Sasuke calmly said.

“My head is hurt,” my lady quickly made up her excuse.

“You only need your legs and feet to stand up.”

“…”

“Get up.”

Lady Hana stubbornly lay her head on Patriarch Sasuke’s chest.

“Your maid and my servant are here,” Patriarch Sasuke reminded her of our existence while we promptly inclined our heads to look at the ground.

“Just a little bit more.”

“If someone sees this, it’s not good for you.”

“We’re kids.”

“But you are a lady at court.”

My lady refused to either answer or get up.

“His Highness is coming.”

My lady, startled, quickly stood up but stamped on her clothes and fell on Patriarch Sasuke again when he was about to get up.

“Is it intentional?!”

“No!!!”

But no one trusted her, even me.

And my lady tried to explain herself so hard that she forgot to condemn Patriarch Sasuke for making up the sentence ‘His Highness is coming’.

“My ankle hurts,” Lady Hana said. 

“Don’t lie,” Patriarch Sasuke patiently and strictly said. “Stand up.”

“My ankle maybe is sprained.”

“I’m telling you not to lie,” Patriarch Sasuke sighed. “Playing also has a limit.”

My lady sat up, leaving him enough space to do the same. He stood up, looking at my lady, “Why are you still sitting there?”

“I don’t want to talk to you,” Lady Hana huffed. “Just go home yourself.”

“Huff?” Patriarch Sasuke smiled, squatted. My lady looked away. 

“Stand up.”

“I don’t want to,” my lady stubbornly said. 

Patriarch Sasuke was about to tease my lady, but the servant carefully reminded him of his training. My lady pouted, “Just go!”

When Patriarch Sasuke’s figure disappeared, my lady called me to help her stand up. I was confused and later anxious to see that her ankle was indeed sprained. To assure me that she was okay, my lady explained, “It is not severe, just a little pain while I’m still can move it. I just need a rest and avoid weight-bearing.”

Hence, I helped my lady walk back to the palace, but not too long since we started to go, Patriarch Sasuke came back and frowned looking at my lady’s feet.

“I knew there must have been some problem! Why did you not tell me?”

My lady, relying on me, kept looking at the ground, ignored him. Patriarch Sasuke sighed and squatted with his back to my lady, “Get on.”

“Huh?”

“How long do you plan to walk back to the palace?”

My lady suddenly cried, “What about your training?”

“Stop crying!” Patriarch Sasuke sighed. “Get on. Don’t waste time. I’ll carry you back my home and call a palanquin to carry you into the palace. It doesn’t take much time, but if you stand there crying, I’ll be late for my training.”

My lady sniffed, wiped out her tears, got on his back and let him carry her to the Uchiha compound. 

“How did you know I had a problem?”

“Normally you’ll get up and ask to walk with me a bit more before we separate.”

“Really?”

“Uh.”

“You are talking like I’m a grain of sticky rice.”

“Uh.”

“Sasuke.”

“Uh.”

“You are a very kind boy.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I really like you.”

“Uh.”

“His Highness will reprimand me.”

“Uh.”

“I will have to stay in bed for some days.”

“Uh.”

“You can visit me with Namizake.”

“Uh.”

“Will you?”

“Uh-huh.”

16.

One beautiful morning after Lady Hana turned twelve, she woke up with a high spirit, for her ankle recovered very well, thus she could leave the palace to play with Patriarch Sasuke and Lord Namikaze.

Lord Namikaze was late today, making my lady and Patriarch Sasuke have to wait for him. As usual, my lady started to ramble on and on about her study. To have a meeting like this, three of them had to complete their homework a night before. The only difference was that Lord Namikaze made sure to complete his homework by not leaving the paper blank. Right or wrong answers were not important to him. His parents were very generous and comfortable, and thus, my lady sometimes went to his house with Patriarch Sasuke to enjoy some sweets, all of which mainly safely found their home in my lady’s stomach.

When my lady was pacing back and forth to grumble about Lord Namikaze’s tardiness, Lord Namikaze appeared and called them from afar. When he was excitedly running close to them, he tripped on a stone and accidentally pushed my lady to fall onto the ground. I helped her to stand up, but my lady’s face slightly grimaced with pain.

Lord Namikaze was scared to death, “Hana, what’s the problem? Is your ankle okay???”

Patriarch Sasuke walked to see what was happening, waited for my lady’s explanation.

She put her hand on her stomach, “It hurts somewhere here.”

Patriarch Sasuke frowned and said, “I think we should cancel our picnic.”

“I’m okay now,” my lady stubbornly said. “We can go.”

“You should let me check!!!” Lord Namikaze insisted. He put his hands on my lady’s shoulders and turned her around to check by his eyes and screamed out, “Hana! Blood!”

“Huh?” Lady Hana tried to look at her back to see where blood was. I was also terrified and imagined the worst situation that my lady was injured. Only Patriarch Sasuke looked away, took a deep breath, as if trying to calm himself down, “You must go back to the palace.”

My lady’s eyes reddened, “Sasuke, you are my betrothed. You can’t just discriminate against me just because I have got a severe disease!”

“I didn’t say so,” Patriarch Sasuke still avoided looking at my lady.

“But,” my lady cried out loud terribly, “you refuse to look at me!”

Lord Namikaze angrily said, “Sasuke! What you are doing is unacceptable!!!”

Patriarch Sasuke impatiently shouted to Lord Namikaze, “You don’t know anything then just shut up!”

Then he turned to me, “You must...understand what...that means, right?”

I innocently gaped at him, “I’m just a lady-in-waiting,” I also cried with the thoughts of losing my lady, “I’m not a doctor. My lady is a good doctor, but even she can’t cure it.”

Patriarch Sasuke cracked his brain and finally came to a solution that he asked me to buy a long coat and told Lord Namikaze to call a palanquin. He wrapped my lady with the coat I brought back, refused to hear her tearful speech, and pushed her into the palanquin.

My lady cried out again, “You discriminate me!”

On the way to go to her room, we met His Highness, and he looked concerned when seeing my lady’s eyes reddened, “What happened?”

My lady, who tried her best to stop crying in the palanquin, cried again, “I might die, and Sasuke will marry another girl.”

His Highness seriously frowned and said, “What did he tell you?”

My lady was still crying so terribly that she couldn’t form a proper sentence, so I answered on her behalf. After listening to my story, His Highness’s face was as if paralysed. He coughed and turned to his servant, “Call a lady to take care of this.”

Then he simply asked me to take Lady Hana to her room.

After an old lady was sent to explain to us what was going on, my lady’s face reddened out of embarrassment, crawled to her futon, covered herself with the blanket, and refused to look at me.

There was a piece of bad news when my lady had her first menstruation. Since menstruation was believed as a mark of a girl’s transformation to a lady, my lady wasn’t allowed to go out to play with Patriarch Sasuke and Lord Namikaze anymore. She was lectured to keep distance with men and started to move to a new chamber with the reed blinds, standing curtains, paper screen with flowers and plants of four seasons paintings and received a whole new courtesy teaching.

Patriarch Sasuke and Lord Namikaze changed to visit her chamber and talked with the reed blinds distancing them. Sometimes, my lady didn’t care much and drew the reed blinds on, for no one was around. 

They also started to write letters. The first letter from Patriarch Sasuke arrived on a dewy morning, and my lady eagerly opened it to see what was inside.

But she frowned, staring at the letter.

Then she opened her chest of drawers to take out the box of the square-shaped papers she had been receiving for four years and looked at the character on them one by one. My lady stopped writing letters at the age of ten when she became friends with her two boys.

I tried asking her whether anything disturbed her, and my lady turned to ask me, “Are you sure that you sent my letters to the right person?”

Seeing my puzzled expression, my lady explained, “The characters written on the papers I received for years and Sasuke’s characters look different. They are from two different people.”

I guiltily apologised to my lady, and she only sighed, “No problem. It passed a long time ago.”

But my lady didn’t move her eyes from the square-shaped papers, “Maybe the gatekeeper just played a trick on us, but who even had time to patiently reply to my letters?”

She didn’t talk much for the next three consecutive days and even refused to eat her sweets. I could feel that my lady indeed had feelings for the one who wrote replies to her for four years, and she always thought that person was Patriarch Sasuke. Fairly speaking, the letters gave my lady a very good impression on her betrothed and even gave her hope to find him at the very beginning.

On the fourth day, I entered her chamber to wake her up, but my lady already got up and dressed herself elegantly. On the table were many piles of square-shaped papers. I stood silently in the corner watching my lady, who seemed to live in her own world. She put them neatly in the box and put it back in the drawer. The letter Patriarch Sasuke sent her was a rectangle-shaped paper. I saw my lady carefully folded it and put it into another box.

Later, she turned to me and said an incomprehensible sentence that I didn’t understand until now, “I don’t know who he is, but I know who Sasuke is.”

And my lady was bright and cheerful as before.

Yet, her fate with the one who sent her replies for four years didn’t end here.  


17.

Next month, there would be a contest for boys of noble families to complete in a group. Patriarch Sasuke and Lord Namikaze planned to be in the same group, but a group was required to have at least three members and five members at most. They discussed the news with my lady, who sadly grumbled that she couldn’t join and even couldn’t watch them play. Lord Namikaze thought for a while and mysteriously said, “I have an idea.”

“What is it?” Lady Hana drew the reed blinds on, showing her curiosity.

“You can wear boy’s clothes and then joined us. We could form a team of four people.”

“Namikaze,” Patriarch Sasuke solemnly said, “that is not appropriate.”

“It has been a very very very long time since the last time we had a picnic with Hana,” Lord Namikaze argued. The truth was that it was less than a month.

My lady used her puppy eyes to look at Patriarch Sasuke, and he decided to give up. Therefore, they changed to discuss how to plan a perfect break-out for my lady.

“I don’t have boy’s clothes,” my lady raised the last problem.

“Take mine,” Lord Namikaze confidently said.

“No,” Patriarch Sasuke dismissed the idea immediately, “she is my betrothed. Wearing the clothes of another man is inappropriate. If she needs to, it can only come from me.”

“You!”

“Besides, my clothes fit her more,” Patriarch Sasuke nonchalantly remarked.

“How can?!”

“You are shorter than both of us,” Patriarch Sasuke mercilessly pointed out the truth.

“Hana!!!” Lord Namikaze quickly turned to seek his emotional support.

“Sasuke said nothing wrong,” my lady mercilessly gave an honest confirmation. “You are shorter than I.”

“!!!”

Too many arrows flew straight into Lord Namikaze’s heart that day.

I heard that he ran back home to ask his mother to buy milk for him.

My lady and I indeed enjoyed the contest although we didn’t do anything, for Patriarch Sasuke and Lord Namikaze insisted that the contest was to test their abilities. Lady Hana and I only needed to go with them and watch them solving this riddle to that riddle, climb trees or dig many holes to find the new hints. 

They won the first prize, which was unfortunate to all of us.

His Highness suddenly came to see the contest. When we were called to receive the first prize, he calmly and casually said, “Namikaze and Sasuke...I know them. What about the two other talented boys? Such admirable talents should be nurtured. It’s a shame that I even don’t know who they are.”

All of us sweated, but His Highness didn’t stop there, “Hm...especially the one who is standing between Namikaze and Sasuke.”

Lady Hana kept her head incline, never dared to look away from the ground. I even felt that I heard her crying inwardly.

“Such a good boy should lift his head and look straight at others confidently,” His Highness warmly advised but made all of us feel there was a freezingly cold sweeping through us.

General Uchiha even sensed something suspicious and smiled, “Maybe he is a shy boy.”

“Maybe,” His Highness nodded. “I shouldn’t force him too much. He was just a child after all. Children need to be slowly and patiently educated.”

His Highness excused himself, leaving four of us finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

18.

Since we all believed that His Highness and General Uchiha didn’t discern our plan, we planned one after one more and more skillfully.

Patriarch Sasuke and Lord Namikaze would take two servants with them when they visited my lady, and the two servants would stay in my lady’s chamber while she and I dressed in the servant attire to enjoy our picnics. We would come back on time and exchange the roles. My lady sometimes would bring her own clothes and changed them when we left the palace.

But everything came to an end eventually. We encountered an assassin at our last picnic. Amidst the laughter we shared, there was an arrow flying to Patriarch Sasuke, but he luckily dodged it successfully.

We were all caught off guard. Lord Namikaze frowned and shouted to the forest, “Who? If you dare to shoot it, appear!”

No one replied.

“Is there anyone that wants to play us?” Lord Namikaze asked.

My lady took the arrow and put the arrow tip close to her nose, sniffed, and worriedly said, “There is poison on this.”

“If so,” Lord Namikaze said, “why did that one shoot? We didn’t take initiative to attack anyone. Is it a misunderstanding?”

“No,” Patriarch Sasuke seriously said, “this arrow came for me.”

Lady Hana looked at the arrow in her hand, “We should go back now.”

“I think it’s too late now,” Patriarch Sasuke said. 

Whereupon a sturdy man appeared, clapped his hands, and said, “Yes, it’s too late now.”

“Who are you?!” Lord Namikaze angrily said. 

The man stood there with the sword in his hand, didn’t say a word, and started his attack. Since the food in the picnics was caught by Patriarch Sasuke and Lord Namikaze, they did bring the knives with them.

“Hana,” Patriarch Sasuke said, “stay away, don’t get in my and Namikaze’s way.”

And then they jumped to fight the man.

“Lady Hana…,” I intended to comfort her, for fear she was hurt because of Patriarch Sasuke’s remark, but my lady didn’t give me a chance to form my comforting speech.

“Do you remember what His Highness taught me yesterday?”

Why did my lady mention this in such an urgent situation?

“One must remember one’s position?”

“No,” Lady Hana didn’t move her eyes away from the fight. Patriarch Sasuke was trying to lure that one as fas as he could but Lord Namikaze also wanted to keep the man for us to run. “You remembered wrong. What His Highness said was that one must remember the meaning of one’s position. I don’t have enough abilities to fight here. Jumping into this fight to act as a hero only makes Sasuke and Namikaze worried and even affects their performances. I don’t have a desire to be a hero or whatsoever.”

Lord Namikaze was cut at his chest and kicked away. My lady’s body was shaking, and her voice trembled, “Jumping into a fight that I have no chance to win just bring a heavy burden on them. Now Sasuke is a commander, and I’ll listen to him. Right at the beginning, I…I am…I am a doctor!”

And she ordered me to run out to drag Lord Namikaze’s body back with her.

While keeping an eye on Patriarch Sasuke sometimes, Lady Hana tried to calm her down and ordered me to help her control the bleeding. She tore off the hems of her dress under-layers which were easier to tear and focused on what she could do. Lord Namikaze was unconscious because of the light hit of the head on the ground, not his wounds. The wound on the chest was not too deep but on his left hand was quite a problem.

In a typical war, there are three important conditions that must be met to win the battle. First, sufficient food; second, a smart leader; third, excellent medical supports. Lacking one of them will lead to failure. That’s the reason why many leaders chose to burn the military food depots or issue an order to poison the water. To win a real battle requires an intelligent leader, not just his combat skills. A smart leader can train hundreds of soldiers to be skilful. To master combat skills only makes one suitable to be a soldier, not a leader. No one wants to have a stupid and loud leader to call for fighting and fighting without knowing when to step backwards. To win, use the brain, not the muscles. To defeat a team, kill its leader. No matter how skilful the soldiers are, their team will be put in a turbulent state once their leader dies.

After she finished her first aid for Lord Namikaze, with her trembling voice, she told me to look after him. Patriarch Sasuke seemed not to be able to win this fight since this man was too skilful. He was an adult whereas Patriarch Sasuke was just an eleven-year-old-child. The fact that Patriarch Sasuke could lengthen the time so much like that was impressive enough at his age.

My lady didn’t move her eyes from them. She suddenly said to me with a very strangely calm voice, “Sasuke told me that this man came to find him, which means he won’t kill us if we don’t attack him.”

Then she called my name, the first time in my life to hear she called my name as a lady to her lady-in-waiting, “Take Namikaze and run away if necessary.”

I noticed my lady clenched her fist and realised that she wanted to interfere in the fight. I didn’t understand and quickly reminded her, “Lady Hana, you said you wouldn’t burden Patriarch Sasuke by jumping into the fight.”

“I did,” she still didn’t move her eyes from the fight where the man forced Patriarch Sasuke to a deadlock and threw him onto a trunk of the tree. “But it’s conditional when I am a burden.”

The next thing I knew was that she rushed to the fight and bit the man’s arm to stop him to touch Patriarch Sasuke or to lengthen the time for him to wake up. The man slapped on my lady’s face, held her hair in his hand while forcing her to kneel, laughed out loud, “Just only like this.”

“If you dare,” my lady said, “strangle me to death. You don’t dare, right? Right at the very beginning, although you dare to touch Namikaze, you didn’t kill him whenever you could. But every attack on Sasuke was a deadly one. You are just a coward working for other people!”

This made the man angry. He bent his body to hold my lady’s neck, gritted his teeth, “You dare me?”

I was scared to death, but all of a sudden, I saw the silver light of a metal cut on the man’s face. He responsively kicked my lady away.

“Smart,” he angrily said and laughed, “you tried to make me angry to lose my guard, right? But you’re too innocent, just a cut like this…”

He trailed off due to frothing at the mouth, “You…”

And he fell down, dead.

I was totally as shocked as him. How? And where did my lady take the knife?

I tried to command my body from paralysis to run towards my lady. Her body was uncontrollably shaking; her face was swollen, and I noticed what she was holding wasn’t a knife.

It was an arrow, the arrow with the poison which aimed at Patriarch Sasuke. My lady…she hid the arrow in her sleeve.

Later, Patriarch Sasuke gained back his consciousness, and Lady Hana explained to him briefly before Lord Namikaze got a fever. 

My lady frowned, “This is normal but not a good sign, though.”

If such a fever were not dealt with carefully, Lord Namikaze could die.

Even worse, it started to rain. Patriarch Sasuke quickly carried Lord Namikaze on his back and run with us to find a temporary shelter.

Patriarch Sasuke told us that we needed a person who ran back and called for help, and I was chosen by common consent, for my lady needed to take care of Lord Namikaze. Before I departed, my lady told Patriarch Sasuke to go to sleep, for we all didn’t know how many people were following us.

When I led a group of people, including the jovial boy and Lord Ichi, to find them, there were two dead men with broken hands and legs who was lying on the ground in front of the cave. Patriarch Sasuke was heavily injured and also got a fever. My lady only explained that some other people attacked them, and Patriarch Sasuke protected her by killing them.

But I felt my lady’s emotion wasn’t stable. His Highness came by himself to pick her up to the palace and let her go to sleep early, but the next morning, I still felt she was disturbed by something. Being asked, my lady looked down at her hands and said, “When they attacked us, I couldn’t do anything, and he yelled to me that they only came for him and ordered me to stand aside. I listened to him as long as he could focus on his fight, but these two were different.”

“Different?”

“They weren’t as skilful as the first one we had met, but…they…they attacked Namikaze and me to threaten Sasuke. They didn’t act like the first man; they announced that they could do anything to achieve their goal and just report to their customer that they accidentally killed us, and that’s it.”

“Lady Hana…”

“Sasuke…his eyes…”

“Eyes?”

“Maybe I was wrong.”

“I don’t understand.”

“His eyes were red,” my lady still looked at her hands. “I didn’t know exactly what happened, but I saw they were red for some seconds and disappeared.”

Later, I was called by His Highness to report my lady’s situation. He also asked me what happened in the forest very seriously, for this event not only raised an alarm to the Uchihas but also challenged His Highness’s authority by touching Lady Hana.

I honestly told him anything I knew, including the details that Lady Hana had told me about the part of when I left for calling for help. I dithered, not knowing whether to tell him about the eyes. I thought it was a silly story, after all, but since we stole the jade token, I had learnt a lesson that His Highness would protect my lady as long as we sincerely told him everything. When I didn’t know how to say, he could sense I was hiding something and asked me, “Is there anything else?”

I hesitated.

“Hm?” His Highness raised his voice.

“I heard from Lady Hana that she saw Lord Sasuke’s eyes turned red.”

Since I bowed my head, I couldn’t see his facial expression. It was a long silence before he casually said, “Such a silly story.”

19.

In Autumn, wild geese flew in the distant sky, leaving some tiny, enchanting dots, with the songs of insects and the soothing winds. 

The river became cooler and purer.

I heard that the jovial boy committed suicide.

20.

My lady was sitting on the threshold, watching the crows which seemed to be startled and flew in frightening. The darkness gradually shaded the sky; in the garden grew the sound of howling frigid wind and a sharp piercing song of the autumn insects.

My lady frowned.

She looked uneasy, stood up, paced back and forth.

“It’s time for dinner, my lady,” I reminded her.

“Izu told me that she would write me a letter and send it tonight.”

“Maybe it will arrive late, my lady.”

She suddenly grabbed my shoulders, “We’ll leave the palace. I want to see Izu.”

“But…”

“Just go! If it’s too late, the gate will be closed.”

And she hurriedly took the gold token that His Highness made for her and rushed out to call for a carriage. I hurriedly put the stray down and ran after her. 

When we reached the palace gate, the gatekeepers didn’t allow us to leave the palace. My lady opened the curtain and asked for a reason, and the chief gatekeeper came to bow and explained, “Lady Hana, a new order was issued just a moment ago that no one was allowed to pass the gate without a jade token.”

My lady grew more worried and called her person coachman to talk something in his ear then she gestured to me that she wanted to walk out of the carriage, so I jumped off the carriage first then held her as what I was taught.

My lady said, “I really have an urgent matter.”

“Sorry, Lady Hana,” the chief gatekeeper bowed to her, “we can’t let you pass this gate.”

“No matter what reasons?”

“Yes, my lady.”

“What happens if I insist on leaving the palace?”

The chief gatekeeper courteously and strictly replied, “Then we can only use force on you, Lady Hana.”

My lady looked at him blankly then gestured to the coachman who already untied the horse from the carriage when they were talking. She jumped on the horse and said, “But I just like to leave here.”

The gatekeeper ordered the soldiers to surround us. They even pointed the spears at my lady.

“Lady Hana, please don’t force us to use force on you.”

I thought my lady would listen to them, but she still sat on the horse, authoritatively said, “Who dares to touch me?”

The soldiers exchanged looks.

“I am not anyone here, right? I have no title to order you, right? If you want to use force on me, just try it! But even you know my name, then you should know what is waiting for you if you hurt me,” my lady raised her voice, “I ask you again, can I leave here?”

The chief gatekeeper looked puzzled.

“I’m waiting for your order,” my lady calmly said and emotionlessly looked at the soldiers around her. “I am a girl, after all. A girl should keep her face clean,” she sighed. “Any scar on the body of a lady will affect her life forever. I dare you to touch a single hair on my head. Let’s see who will die first.”

Amidst the confusion, my lady showed her hand to pull me on the horse and gallop it. The soldiers dispersed to let her go, for fear they would hurt her, which made me indeed surprised to witness. My lady, who was sitting in front of me and confidently rode the horse, was no longer just the Fifth Princess’s apprentice, no longer just His Highness’s favourite child.

The manners that she talked with them, her authoritative tone of voice, her sigh, her calmness spoke more than that.

That night, my lady wasn’t just a ‘Lady Hana’.

She was a princess of the first rank, the daughter of the most powerful man at that time, His Royal Highness the Second Prince.

21.

When we approached the Uchiha compound, it was unknowingly hair-raising. On the gate lay two dead gatekeepers.

My lady hurriedly opened the gate and rushed into the compound just to stand aghast at the sight of so much blood that even our shoes couldn’t avoid it. We couldn’t even form a proper conversation, for our voice was stuck in the throats. I didn’t know what to react, except for trying to command my body to run after Lady Hana, who murmured to herself that she had to find Lady Izu and Patriarch Sasuke. When we were reaching Lady Izu’s house, we heard a poignant scream, “Ichi, I beg you! I accept my death, but please let my mother live!”

And we heard nothing else. The door was opened, and Lord Ichi walked outside. A masked man, who also appeared from the opposite house, calmly said, “We should also kill them.”

Lord Ichi emotionlessly showed his hand to prevent him to walk towards us, “They are just outsiders. Let’s move to the next houses.”

The masked man seemed to smirk, “Don’t scream! Alarming is too late now.” 

My lady was all of a tremble while my mind went completely blank. We just stood stiffly right at the door.

“Hana...”

That was Lady Izu’s voice. My lady finally moved her body to run to Lady Izu and cried, “I...I’ll save you.”

Lady Izu weakly smiled, “You...know that...it’s useless.”

“Don’t talk,” my lady said with a strangled cry, “don’t talk, Izu. I can save you. You...you have to trust me. I can save you. Then tomorrow we still can talk about horses again. Izu, I rode a horse here, see?”

“Very...good,” Lady Izu held my lady’s hand. “Why, Hana? Why is everything always like such?”

“Izu?”

Lady Izu’s eyes started to lose her concentration and seemed to talk to herself, “Why are women always portrayed to only live for love, even accepting to sacrifice their freedom, independence, and their parents? Is it beautiful to other people’s eyes when a lady says ‘I love him although he killed my parents’? Is it beautiful, Hana? If I were in a novel, they might praise my love for him, Hana. Is it really that beautiful? Why do I feel so hurt? Why do I feel it is an irony? If I…I have a chance to live again, I swear…Hana…I’ll live for myself. I’ll take care of my parents. I won’t let anyone hurt them, Hana…Why is this world so unfair? Why does everyone demand a woman to live only for love?” Lady Izu tried to turn her head to the corner of the room. “Why? Hana, I don’t understand. I don’t…”

A human’s heart is made of flesh and blood, able to feel the pain and the sorrow, so why do many people demand others to prove it by continuously challenge each other? If you love me, do this or that for me. If you love me, you must satisfy my wishes. Even the stone is eroded by the water, so why do many people measure love by the standards of who tolerates and sacrifices the most? Why does no one teach people to treasure love by thinking for each other and stepping backwards? Why do novels always plant the thoughts of deep love in such a disgusting way? Is it emotional? Is it beautiful? 

Friendship usually lasts longer than love because of the existence of a distance. That distance is called respect. It asks two friends to respect each other and to know where the limits are instead of asking too much. But people think love is to erase all the limits, so they thrust their weapons into the heart of their so-called lovers, asking their so-called lovers to show them everything they want to prove the so-called love. Is it beautiful? Is it emotional?

The deeper the relationship is, the more carefully it should be treated.

Because when you truly love someone, you are afraid of hurting that person.

Because love is not to die for each other but to live for each other.

Because love is not anything grandiose but just a little smile and a warm dinner.

Parents dearly love their child and raise it for more than ten years, and if a child can say that she continues to love a man who she knows for only some years although he kills them, is it love? A person who doesn’t appreciate the love and loses the ability to feel the love in the family knows nothing of love. Is it beautiful for a woman to love a man who kills her parents? Is it emotional?

In the end, what is love? Does it truly exist? Or is it a symbol? Or is it an excuse?

As long as they say it’s love, you have to forgive them. Is that the lesson to teach the power of love or just the ugliness of humans who make the word ‘love’ dirty?

Lady Izu died with her eyes open, staring at her mother’s dead body in the corner of the room at the age of 15.

22.

General Uchiha and his wife arrived home quite late that night but successfully protected about half of the clan by intercepting on the way of Lord Ichi and the masked man at the cost of their lives. It was also because the chief gatekeeper reported Lady Hana’s rush out of the palace, forcing His Highness to gallop to the Uchiha compound with his own military force. Patriarch Sasuke arrived home from his training at the same time as His Highness, making the masked man and Lord Ichi choose to flee away since the situation was out of hand.

The next morning, the whole capital was fallen into heavy deadly silence.

Patriarch Sasuke wasn’t an innocent boy anymore. His Highness forced my lady to go back to the palace, but she insisted to stay with Patriarch Sasuke. At that time, Patriarch Sasuke walked out of his house and asked His Highness only one question, “Did you know anything about that night’s plan?”

His Highness raised his eyebrows, calmly said, “Why did you ask me such a question?”

“You galloped here with your own military force,” Patriarch Sasuke stared at His Highness. “Why did you go with your military force when it was Hana’s simple escape?”

“Then you should ask your clansmen,” His Highness turned to a tall lady who just arrived. “Take Hana back to the palace.”

“I don’t want to!”

“Hana!” His Highness strictly said. “No bargain today.”

Then he gestured the soldiers to come and drag my lady away. She and I were pushed into a carriage with the lady assigned to watch us. It seemed His Highness understood that Lady Hana would threaten the soldiers again, so a lady would make a difference. 

My lady had been His Highness’s favourite child for approximately six years and was still an innocent child until the massacre. On the way to the palace, my lady behaved very well until she caught the tall lady off guard by threatening her with a short knife that even I didn’t know where and when she took it.

The tall lady was very calm, “Lady Hana, put the knife down.“

“Order them to turn back to the Uchiha compound.”

“Except for killing me, you can’t go back there, my lady. Just a scream from me can prevent you. You had better listen to me, Lady Hana.”

“Really?” Lady Hana smirked. She moved the knife to the tall lady’s face. “I’m not interested in killing you, and you know it. A girl should keep her face clean. Have you ever heard of that sentence before? You won’t die...just simply have a scar on your face. You’re beautiful. What happens if I accidentally cut your face?”

The lady started to sweat.

“I ask you once again,” my lady talked in an undertone but loud enough in the carriage. “Order them to return the carriage to the Uchiha compound.”

The tall lady didn’t say anything.

“His Highness knows my personality very clearly. He won’t punish you and will only reprimand you. That’s it. But if you complete your mission perfectly, your face...will carry a scar forever. His Highness can only give you more gold to compensate for you, but it must be fun to see a terribly ugly scar on your face in the mirror every night, right? Especially a beautiful woman like you. You think I don’t dare to kill you, and you’re right. But just a scar is not a big deal, right?”

The lady still didn’t say anything.

My lady pressed her knife, and blood started to trail down her face, “As a doctor, let me tell you. Just a shallow wound like this can disappear after a month, but I am not sure what happens if my hand misses.”

“I’ll order them,” she hurriedly said. “Lady Hana, put the knife down.”

“No,” my lady dismissed. “You order first. And even if you order for me, I’ll only take the knife away after I see the Uchiha compound.”

The lady called the soldiers to return, for she remembered one important thing there. Whereupon the carriage reached the Uchiha compound, my lady said, “Ask the soldiers to stay away from the carriage.”

The lady did what she was told.

“I’ll take responsibility for everything today,” my lady said. “Thank you for your cooperation.”

Then she told me to walk outside first to check everything.

When I told her everything was okay, she jumped off the carriage and ran inside, just to hear a conversation between His Highness and Patriarch Sasuke.

“Uchiha Sasuke, I give you two choices,” His Highness casually said. “One, you’ll become the head of the clan, and your clansmen and women can continue to stay here but also have to forget about last night’s event and their stupid plan. I’ll forget your clan’s betrayal and announce that your clan suffered from an unfortunate event from a group of assassins hired by other countries. Two, you and your clan members must exile yourselves, and I will declare your clan’s betrayal to the public. I can’t allow such a danger to stay here.”

“What about my wife? What about my father?” One of the men yelled. “He killed my wife and dad!”

His Highness didn’t mind that person, “Uchiha Sasuke, you decide.”

“We’ll exile ourselves,” Patriarch Sasuke emotionlessly said. “You can leave now.”

“Three days,” His Highness just left two simple words before he left.

His Highness saw my lady standing behind the door and said, “Hear enough? Go back with me.”

My lady’s eyes reddened and refused to go. 

“Blame me?”

She shook her head, “I don’t dare, and I don’t have that right.”

“He’ll exile himself with his clan,” His Highness inclined his head to look at my lady. “If you want, you can stay here to say goodbye to him. The carriage will stay here. You have to return to the palace before sunset. That’s my final concession.”

My lady timidly walked inside but didn’t to say a word, for the clan members started an argument with Patriarch Sasuke.

“We must revenge!”

“No,” Patriarch Sasuke coldly replied. “Go back to take anything we can bring with us. We’ll exile.”

“You’re a coward, Uchiha Sasuke!”

“Coward what?” Patriarch Sasuke got angry. “I’m telling you. Will you stay here at the cost to forget everything? It’s cowardice! Now the only option left is to exile! You want to revenge, then tell me how you are going to take revenge? Did we lose not enough? Do you think they are stupid to let us take revenge? If all of you died and only I survived, I would drag this whole nation to pay for it. But it’s when only I am left. Do you know what I mean?” Patriarch Sasuke pointed to a lady who was holding a baby in the corner. “Now you take revenge, and the cost is their lives! You lost your wife and dad. I lost my parents. Do you want the rest of the clan to die with them?”

The man’s eyes reddened with tears, “Our clansmen have been serving for the military for more than a hundred years. A war broke out, and our ancestors were sent to the battle. They died for this nation, but now what are they doing to us? People in this nation live peacefully on the bones and blood of our clansmen, but tomorrow they will spread the news and sneer at us. They don’t do anything, you see? They’re innocent! We are the one who holds the swords! How long will they cry for us if they really do? Just two or three days pass, and everything becomes normal. We are doing our jobs, so it’s illogical to ask for it, right? Blood is thicker than water. Only we are truly tasting the poignance to the full now! Uchiha Sasuke, you’re too young. Do you know that our clansmen are not allowed to do anything except for being a soldier? That’s not a public rule. Every time an Uchiha takes empirical examinations, he will be failed, Sasuke. Do you believe that? One time, two times, ten times, then we should understand what the message was trying to send to us. Now what? They ordered to strip us of the power we have in the military by adding new people. This is undue strain!”

“But what can you do now?” Patriarch Sasuke blankly said. “Take revenge and ask the rest of the clan, including the newborn babies to die with you?”

“Then...I take revenge myself! I can die to revenge for this clan!”

Patriarch Sasuke calmly said, “I don’t want you to die for this clan. I want you to swear that you will live for this clan. If you die, you just waste your life while we lose a person to help us.”

A clan elder walked forwards, “Sasuke said nothing wrong. To live is harder than to die. If you die, you even don’t have the right to hope. Only to continue to live can create hope.”

Everybody’s face looked heartrending.

That clan elder turned to Patriarch Sasuke and huskily said, “Uchiha Sasuke, as one of the clan elders who still can breathe now, I declare you will become the head of our clan, but I also have a request.”

“Please say it.”

“You must take an oath that you will kill Ichi to revenge for this clan. If others had killed our clan members last night, I wouldn’t have felt this bitter. Our clan can accept everything but betrayal.”

“To talk about Ichi,” another man angrily said. “I don’t understand what was going in his head these days! This anger just stuck at my throat! He understood us the most, knowing clearly how, when, where we did anything and used it against us.”

“Just stop talking,” Patriarch Sasuke closed his eyes and quietly breathed out. “If we reach a consensus, quickly gather whatever we can.”

“Your oath, Sasuke,” the clan elder reminded.

“I, Uchiha Sasuke,” Patriarch Sasuke raised his left hand to the sky, “the new head of Uchiha clan hereby takes an oath in front of the dead bodies of my clan members that I will kill Uchiha Ichi to revenge for my clan.”

Someone suddenly said, “Why are you standing there?”

Patriarch Sasuke turned to look at my lady and simply said to them, “She is my betrothed.”

In the afternoon, while my lady stayed in Patriarch Sasuke’s room to help him to arrange his things, Lord Danzo appeared and said that he only allowed one day for them to prepare for the exile.

“Danzo,” a clan elder angrily said, “this is overly unreasonable.”

“Who knows what happens if we give you three days which you use to plot another stupid plan? For the sake of this nation, we can’t let a danger like your clan stay.”

“Danzo!!!”

“Ah,” he looked around the dead bodies that hadn’t been buried yet with a piece of white cloth covering them and incense burnt for them. “I forgot one thing. If you go, remember to take the bones in the graveyard away also. We don’t have time to take care of your clan graves.”

My lady sat inside the house and peered through the curtains, worriedly said to me, “His Highness can’t be such a person.”

Patriarch Sasuke asked his clan members to calm down by raising his left hand slightly and coldly said to Lord Danzo, “Don’t worry. This nation isn’t worth having us or our ancestors.”

After Lord Danzo left, Patriarch Sasuke stared at the dead bodies for a very long time and ordered, “Cremate all of them.”

“What?!”

We normally give a dead person a proper burial to show respect. A typical funeral lasts 3 days, and it is believed to be extremely important to the dead’s soul.

“First, how can we bring all of the dead bodies including the bones of our ancestors with us on the exile which we even aren’t sure what happens next? Second,” he seriously said. “Do you all remember that myth?”

Everyone seemed to be sunk into silence.

My lady murmured to me, “What myth?”

I shook my head to tell her I didn’t know either.

“Cremate all of them and put them into the small pots with a name tag,” Patriarch Sasuke ordered. “What belongs to the Uchihas will belong to the Uchihas. Women come back to every house to collect clothes and any valuable things, especially food. We need someone to cook dinner for all of us tonight. Half of the men will cremate the dead bodies, and the other half will go to deal with the graves. Make haste! We will discuss other matters tonight.”

He turned to some men, “Check the number of horses we have.”

They burnt all the dead, put the ashes of their flesh and blood, their beloved people into the urns respectfully, knowing that they were once precious lives.

The smoke billowed and covered the Uchiha compound. Exposure to smoke caused irritation to their eyes. It was hard to distinguish their tears and reddened eyes were because of smoke or another reason? Even men who didn’t cry the whole morning let their tears fall down.

If the history of this clan were recorded by an outsider, it would be simply a ‘massacre’. No one remembers behind that word were those who once had warm bodies with flesh and blood, having family, having love, and being able to feel the pain.

Each life is connected with at least one person.

What does it mean for the sake of something?

For the sake of your brother’s future, we have to sell you to an old man for money.

For the sake of this nation, we have to sacrifice your whole clan.

Just like the fairytale where a village was required to sacrifice a human to gods in ancient time, ironically the person who was chosen to be sacrificed never the daughter or the son of the one who had the right to choose or who was holding the power. Is it hypocritical?

All cruelty will always be painted with beautiful words and beautiful reasons.

But death is death, and pain is pain.

Someday, a family is discriminated, and other people will knock at that family’s door and say, “Don’t do anything. Keep silent. Everything looks beautiful now. Why do you have to stir it? We don’t want to see your sorrow, your pain, your tears. Here, the cup I make for you. Pour your sorrow into it! Drain it! And keep silent! Hush! Everything looks beautiful now. Why do you have to tear it and force us to see the ugliness of this world? Keep it to yourself. Be a good rabbit. When you want to bite something, bite the cup I just gave you, for once you bite my finger, what is waiting for you is death.”

Because humans are a creature of eyes.

Because they can only see the rabbit bites the finger.

This vulgar world asks its people to live to contribute for society, but then when a member is sick, they will eliminate it under the reason of preventing spreading disease.

23.

Patriarch Sasuke called my lady for a formal talk. I was assigned to guard the door.

“I’m leaving soon,” he calmly said. “Hana, it isn’t a picnic. It is an exile that even I don’t know what is waiting for us. Hana, on my shoulders now is my responsibility for my clan, and I...don’t have time for any romantic relationship. If you want, I can write a letter to prove that you are no longer my betrothed before I leave.”

“What if I want to go with you?” Lady Hana softly said.

“It’s not a picnic,” Patriarch Sasuke emphasised. “Don’t be stubborn this time, Hana. Going with me will only make you suffer.”

“Sasuke,” Lady Hana said with a very calm voice that I hadn’t heard from her before. “I only want to ask you one question. Do you need me?”

I didn’t hear the answer from Patriarch Sasuke.

“I don’t ask you whether or not you want me. I ask you, Sasuke. Do you need me?”

“We don’t have a doctor with us,” Patriarch Sasuke answered. “It surely benefits us if we have a doctor.”

The next thing I knew was that my lady slid the door. Before she left, she turned to Patriarch Sasuke, who was sitting in the room, determinedly said, “Wait for me.”

A son who couldn’t demand justice for his parents is unfilial.

A person who turned his back to his family’s pain is unrighteous.

On Patriarch Sasuke’s shoulders was the unknown future of his clan, the weight of the dead bodies, the cries of the newborn babies, the pain of knowing a dear elder brother was the one who killed everyone, especially his parents. How could he have time for a romantic relationship? In Eastern culture, among hundreds of behaviours, filial piety is the most important one. A child who still could think of its personal romantic relationship in front of the dead bodies of its family members was unacceptable under any circumstances. If Patriarch Sasuke had put the injustice of his clan aside and forgotten everything to enjoy his own life, even I would look down on him. My lady never once blamed him while she agreed to suffer with him, thus nobody has the right to do so.

24.

“You repeat it,” His Highness hit on the table, angrily said. At that time, Lord Danzo and the Fifth Princess were also there.

“I was saying that I wanted to exile with Sasuke,” Lady Hana was kneeling on the floor.

“What are you thinking?!”

“Lady Hana seems to be besotted with Uchiha Sasuke,” Lord Danzo said in a very understanding manner. “This is an Uchiha, anyway. Lady Hana, you shouldn’t hurt His Highness just because of some sweetness from strangers. They know that you are a kind girl. They just use you.”

“Danzo said nothing wrong. Hana, he just uses you. If you go with him, there is no good result for you! Just sufferings!”

“I’m his betrothed. I am supposed to go with him. If he suffers, I suffer with him.”

“Hana,” His Highness tried to advise her. “A child of traitors isn’t suitable to be my...daughter’s husband.”

My lady promptly lifted her head and gaped at His Highness in surprise, and tears started to pour out. That was the first time His Highness called her his daughter. She sniffed and bowed her head to touch the floor, “Hana isn’t a good child. I made you disappointed!”

“You!!!”

“If we have the next life, I will be your good daughter,” she said with sniffs and strangled cry. “But this life, I have to go with Sasuke.”

His Highness angrily took the sword and walked towards her, making the Fifth Princess yell out in terror, “His Highness, calm down!”

His Highness put the sword on the crook of my lady’s neck and said with a trembling voice, “I ask you once again. Will you stay here or leave with him?”

“Hana made you disappointed.”

“Good! Good! Very good!” His Highness pressed his sword onto her skin. “If you reincarnate, stay away from my clan. I don’t need a daughter like you. I...I must have been blind to raise you until now. Don’t dirty my clan’s bloodline. Otherwise, I’ll try to kill you at all costs. This scar is for you to remember what you have done today!”

The sword was then thrown onto the floor, creating a sharp tearful sound.

When my lady came back to the Uchiha compound with tears, a coachman approached us. My lady looked at him in confusion, and he bowed to her, politely said, “His Highness told me to give these things to you,” he pointed to the carriage, “and asked me to quote what he said, ‘I don’t want to see anything that belongs to her here. Send them to her.’ That’s it, my lady.”

He bowed to her and left, making my lady burst out crying again.

Because what he sent to my lady was a horse, a carriage, a lot of clothes that she hasn’t used.

Because those things were extremely important during the exile. 

25.

When I was sleeping, a man broke into my room and covered my mouth. He showed me the gold token, and I knew someone was waiting for me.

Lord Danzo was sitting there.

I kneeled and bowed my head. He took a sip of wine and said, “I’m calling you here to talk about your lady. She is going to leave with the Uchihas, and I know you decide to go with her. You are a loyal maid. His Highness is hurt a lot because of your lady’s decision, and I think you even can feel that. But no matter how much he feels hurt, Lady Hana is the child that he has been investing lots of time and love in. How can he let her leave to an unknown future? His Highness is angry and doesn’t want to talk about it, so I feel I should share some burden with him.”

He didn’t say anything else, and I smartly asked, “What do you want me to do, my lord?”

“What I want you to do is simple. Report Lady Hana’s situation during the exile back to me. Can you do it?”

“But I’m on the exile.”

“There will be a person who contacts you. Don’t worry.”

26.

In the morning, everybody in the Uchiha compound woke up and prepared for an exile. On the way they walked, it seemed that people in this nation all flocked to behold the unique scene in the history with lots of whispers.

Patriarch Sasuke told his men to keep going while he stood at the forest outside the capital gate with Lady Hana and me. We all knew he was waiting for a person. 

It was Lord Namikaze.

Lord Namikaze, huffing and panting, told Patriarch Sasuke to stay, asking him how he could leave like that. It was seemingly that he knew the two options that His Highness offered.

“I’m leaving, Namikaze,” Patriarch Sasuke nonchalantly said. “I am not standing to hear your lecture, but a farewell.”

“If you want to go, you have to pass my body!”

“You read novels too much, Namikaze.”

“Sasuke! Can we have a fight like before? If I win, you’ll stay, okay?”

“Not this time. This world is not spinning around you, Namikaze. It is not that everyone will agree with what you say.”

“I’ll beat them until they agree with me!”

“Then you will attack a whole country if they disagree with your ideology? And then become a dictator? And then create a monopoly world?”

“Sasuke...”

“Last night I dreamt of all my clan members’ deaths. Only I survived. That taste was so bitter so painful. I resented the world. I wanted to change it. I wanted to rule it by fear. I was successful, and I felt lonely. Many people wanted to kill me, and they cursed me to death. I carried the weight and thought what I was doing was right. But I felt very lonely. Amidst all of the confusion and unbearable pain, I suddenly yearned for dinner with my parents. Namizake, I woke up from that dream — the dream of ruling the world. Now I feel lucky that at least I have half of my clan alive. I want to live for them. I don’t have a lust for power. I don’t want to rule this world. I only hope my clansmen and women can safe and sound live their lives. When will you wake up from your dream, Namikaze? The dream that you are loved by everyone is ideal. A friend to all is a friend to none. You want others to listen to you, but how do you know you’re right? You are kind, but kindness isn’t the only standard to be a leader. If everyone loves you, you are loved by no one.”

Two years later, Lord Namikaze rode a horse to the plateau and made a mess to ask Patriarch Sasuke to meet him. That was a windy cool morning in the summer. He was guided to see Patriarch Sasuke and Lady Hana in a small garden that my lady tried her best to grow under the harsh conditions, mostly wildflowers and herbs.

Three of them looked at each other in silence.

Lord Namikaze took the initiative to talk, “I have been thinking about what you said two years ago. Sasuke, could you trust me once? I mean...I know I am not always right, and neither are you. Could we learn from each other?”

“That’s it?”

“Uh.”

“You can leave.”

“!!!”

“Is there anything else?”

“Damn you, Sasuke! At least you should show a bit of emotion on your face!!!”

“Once you successfully do what you said, we’ll talk later.”

“!!!” Lord Namikaze ran away in a huff and tripped on a stone.

“Loser, just walking and running only can cause many troubles for you, what should I expect in you?”

Lady Hana burst out laughing. Lord Namikaze sent my lady an injured look, “Hana, you shouldn’t laugh at me!”

Then he stood up and proudly declared, “Wait for me, Sasuke.”

These two legendary men had such different fates and such similar ones.

One built everything from the beginning again under a very harsh condition but refused to receive any supports to force his clan to be independent. Because around him were all his clansmen and women who suffered with him, they loved him although some disagreed with his opinions. Yet, since they suffered and were forced to witness so much pain, they learnt to be more patient with each other and always told each other to stay close together. Another man came back to challenge the old government system and even faced betrayal from his comrades due to many disagreements about the ideology.

One moonlit night after my lady’s death, Lord Namikaze paid a visit.

“Namikaze, you shouldn’t come here.”

“I don’t want to let you celebrate Hana’s birthday alone.”

“Risking your life is not fun.”

“I know.”

“Killing Danzo is not easy, but leave him to me,” Patriarch Sasuke calmly said, “I also have something to ask him to pay for it, but Namikaze, forcing him to throw up all of his power and relationship networks, however, is a different story. To dethrone him and wipe out his power rooted for such a long time completely, you have to be vigilant and careful in every step you make. If he finds out you are here, your plan will be broken into pieces.”

“I feel damn tired, Sasuke,” Lord Namikaze candidly said. “My hero dream isn’t formed on such complicated matters. Politics isn’t suitable for my simple brain. Every night, I even couldn’t have a good sleep because of thinking too much. Around me is no one I can trust completely. I plot them, and they plot me. I just want to help people, but it turns out that to be in such a powerful place, the cost is too much. If I have the next life, I will be a good simple boy who works devotedly for my mission only. Hm...if I am lucky, I can be Hana’s brother.”

Patriarch Sasuke smirked, “Hana would be terrified and run a thousand miles away from you if she knew you wanted to be her brother in the next life.”

“You laughed at me?” Lord Namikaze huffed. “Don’t tell me you don’t want to meet her in the next life.”

Patriarch Sasuke didn’t say anything.

“Sasuke,” Lord Namikaze softly said, looking at my lady’s grave, “if we have the next life, we’ll meet each other, okay? We will be friends again.”

“I don’t know.”

“Drain it,” Lord Namikaze poured new barley wine into two cups. “Set a promise here. We will meet each other in the next life.”

The two cups hit each other slightly, and the two legendary men drained them. Lord Namikaze yelled to the sky, “Hana, we’ll meet each other again, okay? Namikaze will be your messy brother! Sasuke will tolerate everything you do without complaints. We’ll annoy him to the next life!!!”

Watching Lord Namikaze’s figure vanished into the darkness, I felt that man wasn’t the boy I once knew in the past. He was taller; his face was carved with life's poignancy that the ruthless time forced on him; he was walking like his shoulders was carrying a very heavy bag.

No.

Silly me! 

I shouldn’t call him Lord Namikaze anymore.

His Majesty faced 107 assassination attempts, especially from the old government supporters who felt their rights would be hurt if the new laws took effect. It took him more than 30 years to climb from the bottom to the top, to fight for what he believed, receiving compliments and criticisms, being supported and betrayed.

Because when standing in a high position, there is nothing called love, only power; there is nothing called friends, only the same ideology; there is nothing called loyalty, only benefit.

27.

Uchiha Madara put the latest script file on the table, asked: “When will we have the next part?”

“The next part is damaged; it might take much longer time, Lord Madara.”

“Okay. Don’t rush. Ask the team to take a rest. We have time. Health is important.”

Madara looked at the sunset outside. It was redder than usual. The slowly paling mountain rim was tinged with red, and wisps of clouds painted in crimson floated on the sky. He took a walk to the glassy vast lake, reflecting the red sky, making whole earth and sky as though bathed in blood. 

The bloody sunset dyed Madara’s eyes red.

Even Madara didn’t know it.

His eyes were dancing the pattern of a kaleidoscope.


	28. There’s a Willow Beside the Broken Bridge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fanfiction rated M.

1.

Yoko came back to the Uchiha manor after the appointment with Nami in the afternoon, going straight to the bedroom to have a relaxing bath before a small lunch already prepared for her. 

Sitting in the living room, she beheld the magnificent satisfying view in front of her, observed everything with the eyes of pleasure, the maids, the servants, the lemon juice on the table, the glass windows through which countless trees could be seen, the verticality of the wooden columns, the dainty, elegant stairways chandelier which mimicked the rainfall with crystal raindrops, warm wall lights, simple floor lamps, lighthearted ambience, and a blend of beautiful furniture. Her eyes followed the footsteps of the maids who moved around the manor in quiet to do their chores and stopped at the indoor balcony on the third floor where Itachi’s study was. The maids and servants seemed to never open his study. She sat here for quite a long time but still saw no one enter it. They only cleaned the corridor, trimmed, and watered the house plants, dusted the wall. Curious, she stood up and walked to that floor, which she never visited. A week after she got married to Itachi, they moved to their own marriage house, and she rarely visited this manor except for parties or meetings where the Uchihas were so wise and quick-witted to discern everything that she always reminded herself of acting carefully, and thus, there was no time to enjoy anything here. 

It was admirable, she admitted, how they educated their children to be vigilant yet natural, courteous yet aloof, reserved yet lively, which only brought her annoyance and disturbance, just like Uchiha Shisui. If someone asked her to name a person that she hated the most but couldn’t dare to encounter him face to face, it would unquestionably be Uchiha Shisui. Hardly did he say anything to her; courteous and famously jovial as he was, he wandered around in the parties and freely expressed himself, but the feeling that man gave her was like a bucket made from many wood sticks that many people thought it couldn’t be used to contain water, but in fact, it would not leak a single drop yet form a mirror on the water surface, forcing people to see their own intentions instead of discerning their plans and throwing them on the table. Sometimes, Yoko tried to figure out where she made mistakes; it must have been something wrong in the way she spoke or acted that led that jovial man who could be friendly to all not even mind showing his aloofness to her.

She wasn’t a woman of mercy, or more precisely, she was vengeful. If someone made her feel uneasy, she would jot down everything in her brain and attack back whenever she had a chance. She was a woman of pride, resentment, and pettiness. She loved this era — the era of the facade. No matter how things changed, that rule would be extremely useful if manipulated well enough. As long as she was beautiful, there were always people taking her side. Men usually loved beautiful women who looked quite timid, potentially obedient, ready to sacrifice everything for them. People were scared of facing blood and violence, so they would tend to like a quiet lady than an energetic one despite their being so. She once had an argument with another lady at a party, and she just kept not saying anything and bowing her head timidly while that stupid woman seriously continued with her speech. The result was that most everyone there took her side, especially men. In their view, that pig was trying to make a fuss out of nothing. No matter what truly happened, people would stand with the one who looked weak and hopeless like bearing unjustified things without saying a word. That was called ‘how to be weak artistically’. They wouldn’t forgive any mistakes they saw in other people, so she would be safe as long as she did nothing. Doing nothing meant no mistakes. They said a pencil was useless if it stayed beautiful forever, but people loved to hold a beautiful pencil, right? No one took photos of used and old pencils to post on social media, except for those who truly loved them, but who liked to watch those old worn-out things. Even if someone pointed out that she was acting, many people affected by the impression that she was beautifully mild would still say that she didn’t kill anything or did any crimes and asked others not to push her to the deadlock. This era was marvellously wonderful in her view. This clan had many rules that tied her and made her exhausted, but good rules could be used to do something else. They didn’t allow clan members to interfere in each other’s private life, and thus no one would jump out and say to Itachi directly anything like ‘Divorce her!’. This clan treated marriage as a sacred treasure, so seriously that their clan heir wouldn’t divorce her as long as she didn’t make unforgivable mistakes. This clan valued responsibility, so their clan heir always felt he had to take responsibility for marrying her. This clan educated kind children, so their clan heir was so gentle so kind that he wouldn’t hurt her and rather bear things himself. Yoko knew everything, and she enjoyed it delightfully.

Uchiha Shisui made her feel annoyed, and she just threw the pillows away. He might not know it, but it satisfied her vengeance. Enough! On her face was obviously a complacent smile. That man had better not do anything to give her another opportunity; otherwise, she made him taste something much bitter.

After two years of being in this clan, she, of course, had to gain some knowledge of how to deal with the Uchihas, acted so carefully that she didn’t pay attention much to the third floor until now. Hearing her steps on the wooden stairs then the floor, she stood in front of Itachi’s study in curiosity.

Yoko’s long slim fingers grabbed the doorknob and turned it.

It was locked.

She called a maid who was cleaning the pictures hung on the wall of the hallway, “Why does no one clean the rooms on this floor?”

The maid stepped down the chair, slightly bowed her head, replied, “We are not allowed to enter these rooms, Lady Yoko.”

“So who is responsible for cleaning these rooms?”

“The housekeeper will clean them herself,” she courteously said.

“Is she the only one who holds the keys?”

The maid thought for some seconds then said, “The butler also, my lady.”

“Call him for me.”

The maid quickly stopped her work, running to find the butler. 

Yoko didn’t like speaking with the housekeeper, for this woman was quite courteously sassy, which allowed no one to find out her mistakes in speaking manners. The housekeeper had been working in this house since Itachi was just a little kid, and she somewhat worked as the clan heir’s nursemaid, which granted her obvious respect and a higher standing in this manor, for even Itachi treated her as a family member. Closemouthed as she was, even the details which seemed to be very trivial to mention were kept in secret, from Itachi’s favourite food, the meaning of some of Sasuke’s gestures, Mikoto’s mood through her smiles, Fugaku’s commands by eye contact. That woman never interfered in anything happening in this house, which was believed to be dealt with by the butler, but she seemed to know everything. Talking with her was indeed like communicating with a stuffed animal, for she would direct everything to the butler as if she didn’t know anything. It was annoying to ask a person who definitely held the key information but acted stupid all the time. The housekeeper treated Sakura in the same way as she did with Yoko, but Sakura didn’t feel uncomfortable when talking with her because a simple brain like her didn’t pursue much. People usually thought a lot when they had so much free time, which was why the ancient people had a saying that idle hands are the devil's tools. Sakura had to go to work and had many cases that she needed to analyse herself at home thus had no time to care for such tiny matters or to mentally jot down what others had done to her.

The butler came in a minute, listened carefully to Yoko’s question, and explained, “All the rooms on the third floor are studies, thus might have some confidential information that maids and servants aren’t allowed to enter, my lady.”

“Am I a maid?”

“Of course not, my lady.”

“Then, why can’t you open it for me when you have the key?”

“I don’t have that right, my lady.”

“I’m Itachi’s wife.”

“If Mister Itachi allows, I will.”

“Can Sasuke’s wife access Sasuke’s study?”

“If Master Sasuke allows, my lady.”

Yoko didn’t pursue any further, waving her hand to show her permission to let him leave.

At night, Itachi came back from his work and ate out with her again. It became a routine that he didn’t need to ask her. Since he needed to do some work in his study, he told her to sleep early, excusing himself to the study. Yoko, lying on the bed, looked at the place next to her where her husband was now missing. Recalling what the butler had told her, Yoko stood up. She looked out the window just to see that the moon was covered by the thick cloud these days, making the sky not clear, not bright, not completely dark, even worse than a moonless night. Quietly moving through the hall, she walked to the third floor and saw a faint light shining on the sill of the door. Yoko grabbed the doorknob and tried turning it again. As expected, the door was opened. 

She walked inside.

This was a very large study like a small house with an ensuite and a small single bedroom for a short rest here. Itachi was sleeping with his head on the desk. In front of him was the computer in an active state, which implied he just fell asleep a few minutes ago.

Yoko walked towards Itachi, so quietly as she tried to keep her steps, and then she stood still, beholding him. This man had all the qualities to satisfy a woman’s illusion: handsome, successful, rich, courteous, responsible, and gentle. Was she blind not to see something in him? Yoko didn’t move a bit, even the angle of her inclined head. Why was she too stupid? If only she had thought of this earlier. If she had a child with this man, that child would become the heir of this notorious clan. A child was supposed to listen to his mother, right? As long as she treated it well enough, kept it by her side, it would listen to her. If her child were the clan heir, did it mean all of this clan’s property and power would jump into her pocket? Itachi was a gentle, responsible man, who would surely respect his child’s mother and would not ruthlessly ask her to stay away from their child even if he sensed something wrong. Yoko knew it very clearly, especially when these days had proved it. Her lips formed a vague curve. A child was a woman’s best jewellery. This saying was as true as gold. She indeed wanted to possess this man; the harder it seemed to grab him, the more she was obsessed with that idea. They said a person who acted too well might become lost in her play, and Yoko bravely admitted to herself that she desperately yearned to make Itachi hers. Just a thought of having him and truly becoming a queen without a crown was appealing enough. This man was too kind, too perfect. Yoko thought she loved him now. She thought so. Now she always thought so. A man like Itachi wouldn’t and couldn’t do anything ruthless. Yoko knew it. He looked mystique and hard to guess what he was thinking, but this man deep down was a very gentle man.

A hunter should move quietly and slowly. She knew it. She shouldn’t rush. Once she had a child, Itachi would forever be hers, and this clan would forever be hers. How could she be so stupid for two years? Too young! Too innocent! Too naive! To short-sighted! Her father’s advice was never wrong, but why did she only understand it after two years? She was Itachi’s wife. Her child would be the clan heir then the clan head. Who could dare to strip her tittle? Even now Itachi didn’t love her but still let her be his wife, so who dared to strip her power when she had a child? That child would be a perfect gift. That child would be her life insurance! To give it a perfect home, as a father, Itachi could never divorce her. This clan had more males than females and maintained a kind of traditional belief and practice to keep their bloodline clean by establishing a very stringent rule to avoid anything like a mistress’s children. Messing up their clan bloodline was a serious matter to the Uchihas, for it would create trouble after trouble if a child came out of nowhere to claim father or mother. Her father told her that this clan’s men and women were educated to govern their relationship with responsibilities, and a child born out of wedlock should be avoided. Only legitimate children could enjoy the right of inheritance, and a person involved in an extramarital affair with a child out of wedlock would be disowned. There was nothing like ‘we accept the child but don’t accept the mother or father’, for the Uchiha allowing it to happen should take full responsibility for everything. They argued that children were innocent, and thus, adults should behave well to prevent themselves from creating a bad reputation and negative effect on their innocent children instead of using the child’s innocence to cover for their mistakes. They even argued that no one liked to be betrayed in marriage, then there was no reason to support an extramarital affair and even a child born out of it. Just finding out being betrayed was shocking enough; it would be more shocking when the spouse even had a child with someone else outside. One exception would lead to many exceptions, and many exceptions would potentially weaken the rules. The clan elders wouldn’t interfere in their clan’s members’ relationships, but they could issue an announcement of disownment, and the in-laws with the legitimate child would still enjoy their privileges of being this clan’s members, and the disowned men or women could continue to do anything, even getting married to the ones they involved in the extramarital affairs but not under the name of the Uchihas. In this clan, it was advisable for husband and wife to have a candid conversation to make a decision to divorce and then remarry then have another legitimate child if he or she wished rather than make a big mess to the clan elders’ ears, especially with a child out of wedlock. Better safe than sorry was this clan’s view towards marriage. To a clan heir like Itachi, this matter was much serious. Yoko smirked. She hated this clan’s rules, proof that this clan’s members didn’t understand anything about true love, but even a rule had its sluggish side. Once she had a child that Itachi fathered, it would be granted the clan heir title, for it was a legitimate child. Her father unmistakably was a far-sighted man. Silly her! It was lucky that she stopped herself at the right time.

She knew Itachi was a kind man, but she didn’t like the idea to use his kindness for passively waiting. A hunter had to prevent potential threats to her plan; even now Itachi didn’t divorce her, she rather trusted her plan.

He once told her that she could never succeed in achieving what she desired. She would prove him a little by a little. Trying to give her a bucket of cold water? Yoko gritted her teeth. She proved him. She would prove to him that he was wrong.

Yoko ambled around the room, beheld the furniture in the room. The bookshelf, the desk, the bed, the vase of flower. She opened his wardrobe and saw his clothes there, neatly, cleanly, and full of the taste of masculinity. Yoko moved her hand through the clothes, feeling the smooth cloth passing her fingers, and she seemed to see something in the corner of the wardrobe. Letting the hem of her light-yellow sleeping dress rest on the wooden floor, she sat down to take that thing out. It was a wooden box carved with flowers and birds which seemed to be an object from ancient time. Yoko could judge this thing’s value quite well. Only the ancient people could make things that were high quality and full of royal taste as such.

Yoko opened it.

And it, again, like the door, was locked. A very normal lock. She tapped her finger on the lid of the box. A hunter needed to understand her prey to catch it. Yoko pondered. She put the box back to its place, closed the wardrobe, and walked to Itachi. This man slept like a baby, not vigilant enough, or trusting this manor’s people too much? This manor’s maids and servants were so obedient. He even granted her the right to redecorate the room without worry, and now he left the computer open when sleeping. Then why was just a wooden box locked and put in the corner of his wardrobe in the study?

She walked to the kitchen to ask the maid to cook a light dinner and brought it back to the study. Itachi was still sleeping, but he was finally awakened by the dish Yoko put on the table.

Itachi rubbed his temple and said quite tiredly, “You don’t sleep?”

“I can’t,” Yoko smiled, pushing the dish to Itachi, “I know you have to work, so eat a bit then work.”

Itachi glanced at the dish, “Thank you. I bothered you.”

“We are husband and wife. Bother is not a good word to say,” she smiled and smartly excused herself on time. “I don’t bother you to work, but remember to have a rest.”

“I know.”

Yoko suddenly stopped her steps and hesitantly looked at Itachi.

“You want to say anything?” Itachi asked.

“Itachi,” she looked at the floor as a mild timid lady, softly said, “can I bring food for you when you work overnight like today?”

Itachi nodded, “Of course yes. I just don’t want to bother your sleep.”

“We are husband and wife,” Yoko looked at Itachi brightly. “There is nothing called ‘bother’ here. I’m really happy to do so.”

“Thank you, Yoko.”

“Itachi…”

“Hm?”

“What should I do if you lock the door? Maybe today I was just lucky.”

“Uh?” Itachi glanced at her and responded in some seconds. “Don’t worry. I won’t lock it when I’m here.”

“Thank you, Itachi.”

“You are my wife, after all.”

Watching Yoko’s elegant figure disappearing after the door, Itachi rested himself in the chair again, breathed out a long breath, closed his eyes.

Yoko was his wife. Her family got many benefits from this clan. Just these two points could be strong evidence she wouldn’t do anything against him. He was the one who gave her the hope that they could live a harmonious happy marriage life, thus there was no reason to say no to her. She was his wife, and a ‘no’ was just an unreasonable announcement that her position was equal to the maids here only. This woman’s feeling for him changed to something quite hard to grasp, and in fact, Itachi wasn’t interested in guessing what was going on in her head. Her feeling for him wasn’t pure love but something quite complicated, but he could feel she changed. Positively? Or negatively? Even now he couldn’t escape this vague situation, how could he have the energy to rationally evaluate anything?

Itachi stared at the dish gradually becoming cold on the desk, took the chopsticks and ate it, then brought the dish back to the kitchen and washed it himself. 

The water for washing dishes wasn’t necessarily warm. Just a dish and a pair of chopsticks. Itachi put his hands under the cold water of a freezing midnight when the temperature reached the lowest. Such kind of cold didn’t bother him and even somehow could wake up him a bit, for Itachi knew that he couldn’t give Yoko a child until he escaped from this foggy forest and gained back a clearer view of everything. As a husband, he could grant her everything a wife was supposed to have. Just not a child. A child was the matter of two people, not only him, not only her. An heir of a clan was not the matter of two people but a whole clan. This child would have a huge effect on not only its parents but also its clan future. 

Itachi contemplated his clan’s rules. Outsiders didn’t understand the reason why a clan preferred to be private and reserve like the Uchiha clan didn’t hide its rules towards marriage. They might think they got it by luck or by intelligence, but it wasn’t simple like that. This clan was secretly trying to spread a message to warn outsiders that approaching any members of this clan with the thought of having a child to access the power centre was completely useless. In fact, culture, especially education had been shaping their views towards certain things, and thus, it formed a traditional practice inside them, which the clan elders didn’t worry much that they would encounter such a problem. Every child in this clan was educated and infused with the thought of valuing love, loyalty, responsibility, and like Madara’s idea, teaching them to be hard-working people, and then they would tend to hang out with hard-working friends. When a set of values were practised, there was no need to worry that any Uchiha would be tricked. This clan believed in the power of education that every child should be aware of its own responsibility and hence carefully think before taking action. Even if they were tricked, this clan’s power was enough to track it down, but prevention was always better than cure. Itachi, the heir, had learnt more than that, more rules, more inside view of this clan’s psyche. The bigger the clan was, the more vigilant they should become, for just a simple problem would create an upheaval if it were not dealt with carefully and properly.

Since Patriarch Sasuke’ time, one rule was issued among the clan members that when this clan developed in many fields, each group would have at least one capable person to be selected as a clan elder to represent the voice of that group. That person must meet some requirements of which the most important were the love for this clan, morality conduct, and personal achievements. The power of the clan elders was so considerable in this clan that even the clan head, who held the right of making the final decision, had to consider carefully. Some of the clan elders were open-minded and comfortable, whereas others were quite strict and traditional, which brought a diversity of mindset and different points of view to give the clan head a more objective and bigger picture of the situation. To prevent the thought of eliminating someone to snatch the power, legitimacy was emphasised, and thus, educating a clan heir was considered the most important task. Itachi’s legitimate child would bear such a tremendous weight, such a heavy responsibility, such a high expectation and at the same time enjoy such great power.

He had two choices. One, to have a child with Yoko; two, to adopt Sasuke’s child. Sasuke was a member of the head family, so this was considered legitimate. This clan kept the record of genealogy throughout centuries. Once a member was disowned, that one’s name would be erased. Such a record had the power of authority over indications of inheritance. If he adopted Sasuke’s child, it would be written in the clan history book as his own child although the birth certificate indicated Sasuke was its father. Still, Yoko was his wife, and it would hurt her if he refused to give her a child. Although Yoko was beautiful, she couldn’t excite him anymore. Itachi thought he wasn’t ready yet, or his body malfunctioned recently. He started to feel a migraine. Since when did he mess everything up?

Although Uchiha Itachi claimed that he was insensible to either pain or cold, his body, like what Kisame remarked, understood him more than he himself. Uchiha Itachi’s body resolutely resisted being involved in sexual activities and extremely cautious once his back lied on the mattress. 

Even Itachi didn’t know that.

In some senses, his body was the final defence when its hopeless owner was acting like a complete conscious imbecile wandering around and around. If the soul was inactive, the body was like in the state of clinical death to wait for the soul to come back. Yet, during the time the soul was inactive, once the body was broken, there was no way for the soul to return.

Since it was Uchiha Itachi’s final defence, it acted in a quietly violent way to force its owner not to step one more step, for the abyss was right there in front of them.

2.

Haruno Sakura wore a bear costume to the bookstore to queue for a boxset. It was 7:30 in the morning now, but the bookstore was full of bear and bear. 

A red bear talked with a yellow bear, “I missed the limited version of Book X just because of staying up late.”

An orange bear who heard the conversation of the red bear and the yellow bear commented, “You are still luckier than I. At that time, I just hoped to get the normal version, not the limited one! But when I ran to the bookstore, they said nothing was left! Even until now, I don’t know what is going on in Book X.”

A black bear joined the conversation, “Now they published the boxset, collection of all books, making me so excited and grateful. But I don’t whether I am lucky enough to buy it today. You know, many who get all of the limited versions still came here.”

“They should learn what ‘sharing’ means!”

“That’s right!”

Sakura, a reddish-brown bear, felt so lost in the crowd of bears. She was worried not to know whether she could buy one for Kakashi. She had to ask another doctor to cover the morning shift for her. She even had to wear a bear head now, and Sakura felt lucky about that. At least she didn’t need to show her face! 

As she was worried, Sakura was unluckily the forty-first bear, and the bookstore staff apologised to inform her that there was no book left. Sakura, terrified, thinking of what was waiting for her tonight, apprehensively asked the cashier whether the other two bookstores still had some stocks left. The bookstore cashier called the other two stores to check, but the result was nothing different. 

Sakura even thought of coming back to the Uchiha manor to be a good animal in the zoo to shelter herself from the bleak outlook of the shining eyes and a lamentable speech she had to face when going home tonight.

But the cashier asked her, “May I ask whether you buy for you or someone else?”

“Uh? I buy it for my father.”

“May I ask his name?”

“Hatake Kakashi.”

The staff smiled, “The third bookstore is keeping one set for him. The author asked them to do so.”

“Really?” Sakura the Bear felt she finally found her saviour. “May I know the address of that bookstore?”

“It is quite far from here,” the cashier jotted down the address for Sakura and said, “in the East of this city.”

“It’s okay,” Sakura happily said with the bear head on her hand. She admired herself so much that she asked someone to cover her shift for a whole morning instead of just some hours with the belief she would go back there.

I’m such an intelligent girl!!! She was exuberantly ready to rush there.

“Ah,” the cashier called her back, making her brake so suddenly, “you still have to wear the bear costume there and take some photos and a video with the boxset on your hands. The author planned to use such photos for advertisement.”

“…” 

“You have your bear head,” the cashier giggled.

“What video?” Sakura the Bear faintly asked with little hope.

“I don’t know. But it’s likely to dance with the books.”

“…”

Sakura the Bear suddenly missed the zookeeper and Itachi the dictator. Could anyone suddenly appear and force her back to the Uchiha zoo? If so, she could have a persuasive reason not to go there dancing. She would promise to behave well in the zoo. She cried inwardly. Taking photos was acceptable. Dancing with books like an idiot was so terrifying even with the bear head.

After two hours of torturing, dancing, jumping here and there, clapping hands, shaking heads, moving left left right right, swaying hip with the heavy bear head, Sakura the Bear was touched to tears when hearing the ‘okay’ from the movie producer. She left the bookstore with the heavy boxset on her hands. Since it was the collection of all the books with many gifts for which she had to sacrifice to exchange, Sakura didn’t take her bear head off her head to carry it with great care. Any damage that occurred could send her directly to the end of mankind.

While Sakura was walking to the parking lot to take her car, a familiar figure jumped into her eyes. Sakura stopped to check her eyesight, and it was surely Yoko.

Yoko seemed to be locking the gate of a house on the other side of the road then walked away. Sakura just stood there, dithering whether or not to walk across the road to say hi to her. 

There was something pellicular in Yoko’s walking manner. Sakura could feel it.

It was as if Yoko was crying in torment.

Sakura decided to walk across the road, but the green light didn’t allow her to do so. Today was Monday, thus vehicles were moving harmoniously on the road, giving Sakura an intermittent view of Yoko’s figure.

She was pretty sure that Yoko was crying.

Once she stepped on the pavement, Sakura ran after to call Yoko, but the costume was a burden to her, dragging her back. Her voice was obstructed because of the bear head, and Sakura felt annoyed for this made Yoko not realise the bear was her.

And Yoko turned left.

Sakura hurriedly turned left.

And Yoko disappeared as if she had never been there.

Sakura sighed, disappointedly walked back. Somehow Sakura had a poor sense of direction, so what she always did when being at a strange place was to navigate the place she had been. 

Sakura kept her eyes on the bookstore on the other side of the road.

She looked around once.

And she turned her back against the house that Yoko had left.

That was a house painted in white with a willow tree in front of it. Normally no one would plant a willow in a house, for it needed too much water, and its invasive root systems would damage the house, logging up pipes. More importantly, even if the house had a pond of water to supply water and maintained a recommended distance from it, no one would plant a willow in front of the house as it would cover the house with its leaves and sink the house into darkness.

A gust of wind swept through the road and violently ran through the house. It seemed the house was built to let the wind blow through the corridor, creating a howling long sound like the wind through the giant flute without finger holes. This sound was unpleasant and disturbing.

Sakura was standing with her back facing the house.

And the house gate with the willow shading the white house in a dark colour even in the bright sunny morning was like a wide-open mouth of a predator patiently waiting for its prey to come closer.

Sakura didn’t even know that.

3.

Sakura got back home at night and tiredly held the boxset with her to the house. When she took off her shoes, Sakura noticed there was a new pair of shoes there, which meant there was someone else in the house. 

Maybe…

She ran to the house and heard a delightfully metronomic creaky sound of the oak wood rocking chair accompanying with very light music which was popular some decades ago and which Naruto complained that sounded like a mourning song. Sakura saw an old man whose hair turned all white ensconced himself there, closing his eyes to enjoy the music.

Hearing the sound of someone coming, he opened his eyes slowly and smiled, “Sakura!”

“Grandpa Sakumo!!!”

Sakura put the boxset on the table to walk fast to him, asking a series of questions at once in a good mood, “When did you come here? Why did you not tell us? Where is grandma?”

“Slow down. You haven’t changed much!” Hatake Sakumo smiled and answered his granddaughter questions one by one. “I just came here an hour ago. I didn’t tell anyone since it was unnecessary. Your grandma is visiting her friend in this city and will be back tomorrow.”

“Kakashi must be happy to see you,” she sat on the floor next to the rocking chair.

“He?” Sakumo laughed heartily. “He must be terrified to see me here.”

“How can Kakashi be terrified?” Sakura smiled like a child. “You know it much better than us. If so, he must be terrified of sudden happiness.”

“Your mouth is as sweet as before,” Sakumo smiled, stroking Sakura’s hair. “Recalling back those very first days he adopted you two, I protested against it so much that we had a quarrel, refusing to look at each other for many days later. And when you two lived with him, he used all the excuses to prevent me from seeing you. He must have been worried that I looked so solemn that you and Naruto would be scared. Your grandma told me that she had never thought of Kakashi’s being such a sensitive, aggressive man.”

Sakura smiled with her eyes becoming two happy curves.

Hatake Sakumo retired some years ago and went back to the countryside with his wife to enjoy the peaceful landscapes. Kakashi was their only child, a good student, a well-behaved boy who admired his parents who usually left home, teaching him to be an independent boy at a very young age. His father usually left home for missions; his mother usually left home for designing and arranging flower art at events and parties in other cities or workshops in foreign countries.

Sakumo brought him a retired military dog, marking his life with this loyal animal. At that time, they thought Kakashi was too clumsy and impulsive to become a single father of two children. After Kakashi insisted on adopting two of them, he didn’t allow his parents to visit by changing the house without informing them a single word. When they gave up, Kakashi still didn’t allow them to meet their new grandson and granddaughter, for fear it would shock his beloved adopted children. At that time, only a broken dish could make Sakura’s and Naruto’s face pale, how could he let another two strangers see them? Kakashi only sent them photos of his children playing in the house or taking the dogs for a walk in the Garden Residence in the first year.

Sakumo and his wife sent Kakashi some stuffed animals, toys, and beautiful dresses for little girls as a way to create a good impression of themselves to their grandchildren, and Kakashi gradually told his adopted children where the gifts came from, slowly acquainting them with the fact that there were a couple that would become their grandparents and pay a visit someday.

The only biggest mistake was that no one sent Kakashi new shampoo.

When Naruto came back and of course noticed the new pair of shoes, he hurriedly ran into the house and yelled, even no need to see that person yet, “Grandpa Sakumo!!!”

Sakumo glanced at him and laughed, “Now we have a very good police officer who can guess who is in the house without looking at him.”

“Who am I? Uzumaki Naruto!!!”

Naruto looked around, “Where is grandma? Where is Sakura?”

“Your grandma is at her friend’s house. She’ll be here tomorrow. Your sister is having a bath.”

“You should have told us about your visit,” Naruto tossed his backpack to the sofa, “so we could have planned to be home early with you. Kakashi is busy now. He might come home quite late today.”

“It’s okay, though. A man should have his own sky to dedicate his life.”

“How long did you plan to stay here?”

“To the day after tomorrow. We are old...can’t just stay here bothering young people.”

Naruto dismissed promptly, “You should not have said so. Kakashi and I will always be happy to have you and grandma here. Sakura is married but still back here now! Do you see it? It is proof of family love!!!”

“Hahaha,” Sakumo laughed out loud. “Since when did you learn Sakura’s sweet mouth technique?”

“We have been living with each other for more than a decade!” Naruto proudly said. “Of course, I have to learn something good!”

“Grandpa!” Sakura appeared. “Have you eaten anything before getting here yet?”

Naruto slapped on his thigh, “I forgot to ask you!”

“No, I’m waiting for a family reunion.”

“But Kakashi will be late tonight,” Naruto powerfully and seriously analysed. “We’re young, and it’s okay. But you need to eat on time, grandpa! Should we cook for you?”

“…”

“Naruto said nothing wrong,” Sakura pondered. “We should cook something for grandpa.”

“No no no,” Sakumo quickly waved his hand. “How can I bother my good grandchildren?! You two just need to sit here and talk with me. Cooking is a heavy job. Let Kakashi do it! How can I let my precious grandchildren go to the kitchen!”

“Grandpa…,” Sakura glanced at Naruto and they looked at Sakumo in the eyes of ‘I can see everything’. 

Naruto continued for Sakura, “You just need to say directly that you don’t want to eat our cookings.”

“…”

“Beautiful words hurt, Naruto.”

“…”

“Yeah. Terribly hurt.”

“…”

“Grandpa…”

“…” Now he finally understood why his wife suddenly decided to visit her friend when she saw Kakashi wasn’t home on time.

“Our cooking skills are not as bad as that time!”

“…” One time is enough!

“We have improved a lot!!!”

“…” I don’t trust these words.

“Naruto, he says he loves us.”

“…”

“Yeah, but all are lies.”

“…”

“Beautiful words hurt, Naruto.”

“…”

“Yeah, terribly hurt.”

“...”

“Grandpa, do you really want to refuse the food cooked with love by us?”

“…”

“He doesn’t love us as he said, Naruto.”

“Just cook,” Sakumo gave up. “I’ll eat.”

“Yay!!!” Naruto jumped, ran to Sakura, dragged her to the kitchen.

Sakumo sighed. Maybe their cooking skills were better this time.

“Naruto! That’s salt, not sugar!”

“…”

“Hm??? What about this one?”

“…”

“It’s wrong!”

“…”

“But I remember Kakashi usually does like this.”

“…”

“Just put everything together. It will be cooked finally!”

“…”

Sakumo quickly took out his phone and called Kakashi.

“Papa?” Kakashi’s voice was filled with surprise. His father didn’t usually call him at this time.

“Kakashi,” Sakumo talked in an undertone. “When will you come home?”

“Come?” Kakashi rubbed his chin. “Where are you?”

“I’m at your home now.”

Kakashi happily expressed his astonishment and delight then sighed, “But I have some work to deal with, so I will be there…hm…in 30 minutes if I try to speed up.”

“…”

“Papa?”

“Okay! Focus on your work. It’s okay. I’ll be okay.”

“Huh??? Is there any problem, Papa?”

“No,” Sakumo sighed. “I’m just quite hungry.”

“Ahhh,” Kakashi said in a very understanding way. “There are some biscuits without sugar and some fruits in the kitchen. Just wait for me, and I’ll go home to cook for you.”

“I know.”

“So, I’ll end the call?”

“Hm.”

Kakashi ended the call then looked at the phone in his hand, murmured, “Finally we have a sense of family.”

“Kakashi,” Maito Gai called his best friend and patted his shoulder. “Work was all finished. Why are you standing here? Does your car have any problem?”

“Gai,” Kakashi nonchalantly asked, “do you want to compete who can run faster tonight?”

“Hm???” Gai excitedly exclaimed. “Now?!”

“Now.”

“But I remember you usually try to go home on time these days for Sakura are staying there, don’t you?”

“You don’t dare to run with me?”

“What?! How dare you!!! Run! Where should we run?”

“The park nearby.”

“Okay go!!!”

5.

On Wednesday morning, Kakashi, Sakura and Naruto accompanied Sakumo and his wife to the train station to see them off. It was 6:00 a.m. After that, Kakashi drove Sakura to work then drove Naruto and himself to the police station. These days were all precious moments that they needed to treasure. Sakura was married, and she would leave once Sasuke returned. Such a long time with each other was rare thus so precious so dearest. No one would have thought of the visit from Sakumo and his wife, making the family reunion truly become a big family reunion.

Yesterday, Sasuke called his wife to inform her that he would be back next Wednesday. Hearing Sakura’s happy laughter, he indeed felt very warm, for no matter how far he had been, there was a home for him to return with a person patiently waiting for him. Later, he heard Sakura’s yell, and Naruto picked up the phone to report that she ran to find her flip-flop to kill a cockroach.

“If the house collapsed every time she hit it, I would go bankrupt,” Sasuke casually remarked.

“Hahaha,” Naruto burst out laughing. “Then you just need to find your biological father-in-law. He has lots of money.”

“Sakura thought her biological father was as poor as a dog.”

“Hahaha,” Naruto wiped his tears. “Many people now think he is just a rabbit losing his prime of power, so we can’t blame her.”

“I have to work,” Sasuke forthrightly said.

Naruto snorted with fake rage at Sasuke, “I just only said two sentences!”

“That’s enough for a moron like you. Save your brain to deal with your work.”

On Thursday evening, Sakura came home quite late. Hearing the water sound from the bathroom, she guessed Naruto was having a bath. 

After Naruto finished, he walked to the living room while drying his hair with a towel, seeing Sakura sitting on the sofa and putting the mess he had made on the table neatly. 

“Kakashi will be back soon,” Naruto, with bare chest and shorts, sat down, explaining to her.

“Why did you take a lot of photos, Naruto?” Sakura pointed to the pile of photos she had arranged neatly.

“Hm?” Naruto looked at them and mysteriously said. “Secret!”

“Mission?”

“No!”

“You are…,” Sakura smiled and playfully winked, “that case?”

“Smart sister!”

“Fighting!”

“Hm! Hm! Hm!” Naruto excitedly nodded. “I’ll take them to my room.”

Taking all the photos, he carelessly let the piles fall and scatter everywhere again. 

“Hahaha,” Naruto laughed it off, rubbed his hair, beamed innocently, making Sakura only sigh and help him to gather them again.

“But why did you need to take many photos of houses?” 

“You guess!”

“I don’t know. It’s your mission.”

“It can’t be called my mission. I secretly did it.”

“Uh-huh. But why houses?”

Naruto sat on the floor with his photos and explained, “I’m just trying to collect anything related to that case as much as I could and connect my logics later. You see,” he pointed to the photos, “if I go with the argument that the driver is innocent or at least he was covering for someone, then why did he do that? In that case,” Naruto seriously lowered his voice, “this was not an accident, Sakura. It was a murder.”

Sakura frowned, “An accident doesn’t need planning like that.”

“Exactly!”

“But why houses?” Sakura asked again.

“The driver has no family, Sakura. I reached the deadlock when trying to find his trace.”

“So?”

“I changed my direction to the victim.”

“The actor?”

“Hm!” Naruto gave a clear nod. “He had many houses. That actor was very rich, Sakura.”

“He was famous, so it’s understandable.”

Naruto rubbed his hair and grumbled, “I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. But I’m trying. If I go with my logic, we’ll have one question: Why did someone decide to kill him? If so, he must have had some problems!”

“Hm…,” Sakura pondered. “If you are right, he must have done something that someone viewed him as a danger. He was rich, and many things could be solved by money or calling the police.”

“Exactly!”

“Just go with your logics.”

“Hm!”

Then they resumed gathering the photos. Sakura saw a photo lying under the sofa, so she lowered her body to take it out and just stared at the photo, frowning for a while.

“What’s the problem?” 

“Hm…,” Sakura tilted her head, thinking hard as if she was trying to retrieve something. “I feel like I saw this house somewhere.”

“Huh?” Naruto took it for a look. It was a photo of a white house with a huge willow in the front yard. “I tried really hard to find this house’s existence, don’t you know? Other properties were easy to track, but only this one was a pain.”

“Famous people usually own many things in secret to enjoy their own lives.”

“Yah,” Naruto sighed. 

“But why do I always feel I saw it somewhere?” Sakura grumbled. 

“You might just imagine too much,” Naruto dismissed. “You have a good memory!”

“You’re right,” Sakura gave up.

6.

Sakura recently got to know Nami through Yoko’s introduction and went out together one or two times. Nami was a sweet sexy woman, and from what she knew, Nami was a famous movie star who had a lot of fans.

Sometimes Sakura hesitated, asking herself whether she should ask Yoko about that day.

What made you cry, Yoko?

Still, she didn’t. 

Sakura wasn’t stupid and impolite to ask a person about what that one didn’t mention first. If Yoko felt that she needed to tell someone, she would share her story. If not, it was better to pretend that she hadn’t seen anything.

Some days ago, Yoko invited her to a party with Nami on this Saturday night in a luxury resort set on its own private island. She explained that it was a kind of business party that her father held annually, but they could enjoy themselves there with food and beverages. Sakura checked her schedule and agreed. 

They took a flight together to that island, and Itachi, as a son-in-law, was also there.

That night was strangely dark, and the moon was there, again covered with the clouds. Its light was so faint so subdued, and even worse, a torrential rain suddenly came down in buckets. All the guests, dressing in luxurious clothes, moved constantly in the hall while holding a drink. The tables were stacked with dishes of brightly colourful fruits, bouquets of fresh flowers for decoration, large bins filled with bottles of liquor and champagne. Crystal chandeliers shimmered the hall.

Sakura sat in a corner and had a chat with Nami. Later, Nami was invited by a man to dance, and Yoko came to fill the seat next to her.

“Hm?” Sakura raised her eyes in surprise. “I think you’ll be going with Itachi all night.”

“Itachi is a good food in other people’s eyes,” Yoko smiled, pouring herself a glass of champagne. “Many people are trying to have a talk with him.”

“Haha,” Sakura laughed. “No wonder you find me.”

“Sakura,” Yoko poured Sakura a cup of wine, “do you remember about the woman I once told you?”

“Huh? Who?”

“The one I think Itachi loves.”

“Ah,” Sakura took a bite of a biscuit. “But it’s your theory only.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Huh?”

“I had evidence.”

“Then?”

“Do you know her, Sakura?”

“Me?” Sakura pointed to herself. “How can I know who she is?”

“Are you sure?”

“Huh?! Why are you talking like I must know her?”

“I just think you know Itachi better than me.”

“Even if she exists, she is the past,” Sakura emphasised. “We talked about this before.”

“But the woman is like a needle pinned in my heart.”

“You just need to do your best with Itachi. Why do you need to care so much about her? The past is the past.”

“What happens if that kind of past still exists?”

“What do you mean by ‘exist’?”

“Like still living near him.”

“Even so, I think you are his wife. If you treat him well, he can feel it. Just like he agreed to try with you.“

“But I don’t think so.”

“Huh?”

“I am trying that hard, but I still feel he is so far away while that woman didn't do anything but still occupies all of his heart.”

“Except for using your true love to melt him, what can you do?” Sakura seriously suggested. “The main problem is Itachi’s heart, not that woman. Yoko, many women tend to attack mistresses with the thought that it is a good way to keep their husbands, but the problem lies in their husbands. If he is unfaithful, he will find another woman, after all. You are making a positive progress with Itachi. I think it’s good now.”

“You think so?” Yoko nonchalantly said, drained her red champagne, left a very faint red lipstick on the glass. “But I always think I need to eliminate that woman.”

“Huh?”

“Just joking,” Yoko smiled sweetly, slowly said. “How can I do that? I even don’t who she is.”

Nami came back with a paper box, “Here you are.”

Yoko took the box and smiled, “Thank you.”

“Just a box! How can you forget it if it’s important? Anyway, I arranged everything for you.”

“Thank you, Nami.”

Then Yoko turned to Sakura, “Sakura, could you do me a favour?”

“Hm?”

“I made these sweets for Itachi,” she pointed to the box, “but I don’t want to let him know it. Can you bring it to him?”

“Why? Just show it to him yourself. Itachi will be please to know.”

“If he knows it’s mine, as a matter of courtesy, he will praise it.”

“She wants to know Itachi’s true reaction,” Nami laughed.

“Now?”

Yoko blushed and nodded.

“Okay.”

Sakura took the box and ran to find Itachi as a brave soldier volunteering to the frontline. He was talking with some men, so how could she interrupt the conversation? Sakura walked around and around, waiting for the men to disperse, but no one left Itachi! Sakura’s hopeless eyes were so powerful that Itachi noticed and excused himself to walk away.

“What’s the problem?”

Sakura cheerfully showed him the box and opened the lid for him.

“Sweets?”

“Hm!!!”

“For me?”

“Hm!!!” Sakura excitedly nodded. “Taste them!”

Itachi lowered his voice, “This is a party.”

“Then you just need to act reluctant!” Sakura stubbornly said.

Itachi smiled, took one of them in the shape of a flower and chewed.

“Is it delicious?” Sakura lowered her voice in excitement.

Itachi nodded.

“Then eat all of them,” Sakura urged.

“You don’t save some for yourself?”

“I...have another box. Quick!”

Itachi resigned himself to please Sakura. She left with a huff and now came back in such a lively way, Itachi thought, pleasing her is okay. It wasn’t the first time he spoilt her, though.

Therefore, he patiently ate one by one until the box was empty. 

Sakura mysteriously said, “This box is not mine.”

Itachi raised his eyebrows.

Sakura thought it would be wasteful if Itachi didn’t who made it. She had to help Yoko!

“It’s Yoko’s.”

“...”

“She made it for you but was so shy to give it directly to you, so I helped her.”

“I’m quite curious to have seen you on the plane but haven’t had a chance to ask you directly,” Itachi raised his question. “Since when did you become friends with her?”

“!!!”

Under Itachi’s eyes, Sakura decided to tell the truth...half of the truth...a very vague truth, “I met her in the Uchiha manor and had an interesting conversation with her some weeks ago, I think.”

A month could be also counted in weeks.

“Uh-huh?”

“Is there anything wrong with it?”

“Just surprised.”

“It’s a female friendship. You men don’t understand it.”

“Okay,” Itachi gave up. “Don’t eat too much, or you’ll feel sick.”

“I know. I know.”

And Sakura happily took the empty box to run back and report her success to Yoko but hid the truth that she had told Itachi everything.

Nami left again for a dance, while Sakura and Yoko enjoyed their food and beverages.

7.

Itachi opened the door of the room that the waiter told him that his wife was waiting for him, and he could smell the aroma of lilies. He turned on the lights, but nothing happened. Frowning, he quickly analysed the situation. Somebody had destroyed the lighting system. The room sank in darkness. And the lilies’ exquisite and lovely perfume permeated the room. He sniffed. This room must have a lot of lilies, for the smell was so strong.

Itachi closed the door behind him, walking by instinct to the king-size bed. He knew someone was waiting for him there. What did Yoko plan to do? Did she ask him to come here just to have a night together? But why did she destroy the lighting system? He sat on the side of the bed, and the woman lying there got up, reaching out her arms, holding his body with her face glueing on his back.

“Yoko, what do you want?”

She didn’t answer, just tightening her embrace.

“Not now, Yoko,” Itachi calmly replied. “I know I’m your husband, and this is one of my duty, but not now. You asked me to try with you, and I’m not against it, but it doesn’t mean I’ll comply with everything. Give me some more time.”

But she didn’t listen to him. The warmth on her body burnt Itachi’s back.

The lilies…

Itachi breathed more heavily.

The lilies…

These lilies must have problems...

But Itachi didn’t move. He just sat there, breathing more and more heavily. He even didn’t try to break out of the woman’s embrace.

“Itachi, do you know what it is?”

“Itachi!”

“Who am I to you?”

“Since when I became your little dango?”

“Itachi, your clan rules are so annoying!”

“Your lips are mine.”

“Our child? Hm…let me think… Okay then, the lips you’re only allowed to kiss are mine.”

“Itachi.”

“Itachi.”

“I don’t like waiting.”

“Ok. I’ll wait.”

“Okay haha.”

“I am not a kid!”

“You’re acting like an ancient old-fashioned man, Itachi.”

“Are you okay, Itachi?”

“Our child will have a sweet-tooth.”

“These flowers are beautiful, Itachi. I will decorate our house with flowers. You’ll see flowers every time you come home.”

“Itachi! Itachi! Look at these toys!”

“My Itachi has to work hard to earn money to buy flowers for his future wife!!!”

“Huh? Why?”

“Hm…Itachi…the price of infant milk and diapers is very high. You’ll have to work very very very hard, or your future family will be starved hahaha.”

“I don’t care. I want to touch you.”

“Itachi, Itachi, look at this.”

“Itachiii, I’m getting a boyfriend, not a father.”

“You are talking like you’re my father!”

“See? I told you.”

“You are a boring man, Itachi.”

“Shisui is right!”

“Huh? Ravish me? Dare you, Uchiha Itachi?”

“You’re only five years old older than me, but I feel it is like a hundred-year-gap!”

“Itachi?”

“I made it for you. Do you like it?”

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“I’m younger than you, so you have to let me win!”

“Itachi.”

“Itachi?”

“You shouldn’t have done this, Yoko,” Itachi closed his eyes. If someone turned on the light, it was obvious to see his eyes reddened. Itachi breathed heavily. He felt an explosion ambushing inside him — the body of Uchiha Itachi, the heir of the Uchiha clan, who could keep his composure at any time of his life. This explosion just needed a little click, and then it would explode. Itachi knew he had to leave this room immediately. He knew the lilies had problems, but he seemed to be rooted on the bed. He was angry with the woman clinging to him. 

How could she…

How could she do this?! 

But that voice was like a flood, flowing fast and sweeping all of the warnings being sent constantly from his brain. He was inundated in that flood. He found it hard to breathe. Uchiha Itachi tried to push the woman away, but he heard the voice again.

“Itachi.”

“Itachi. Itachi”

That was the sheepish and sleepy voice of his little dango. The heavier his breaths were, the more he absorbed the smell of lilies. Itachi started to have some illusions, to see some broken fragments of his memories, and he felt he was gradually losing the ability to distinguish the real and the unreal.

Uchiha Itachi’s body trembled with humiliation. He was furious. How could Yoko do this to him? He…he…felt quite violent. He knew it not only because of Yoko’s plan, but it was what the lilies had pulled out of him mattered.

She kissed him on his neck from behind.

Some voice inside him spoke: “If this is what she asks for, why don’t you let yourself relax a bit, Itachi.”

Another voice, vaguely argued: “You must leave, Itachi. She is not the woman you are thinking of.”

The other voice came back, louder: “She is your wife, Itachi. It’s nothing wrong to have sex with your wife, Itachi.”

Then the vague voice also tried to speak up: “This is unfair for your wife.”

And these voices started to argue while their owner just sat there, breathing heavily with the hands of the woman behind him caressing his chest and her lips trailing on his neck.

“But she asks for this. She planned this. What are you waiting for Itachi?”

“But she’s not that woman.”

“You can just imagine she was that woman.”

“No, you shut up! This is not what Itachi wants.”

“Want? Do you know what Itachi wants?”

“Itachi! Leave this room!”

“Itachi! Ravish her! Let yourself relax! She asked for this! She planned this! She used sex drug against you! So why do you have to withdraw? Punish her, Itachi!”

“Shut up!”

“It’s nothing unfair, Itachi. Just think that she is that woman and enjoy this gift.”

“Itachi! You must leave this room. The consequence of staying here could be unbearable!”

“She is your wife, Itachi. Having sex with your wife when she asks for that is nothing wrong.”

“Shut up!”

“No, Itachi. They are all wrong! She is your little dango.”

The rage inside Itachi escalated, and he heard the laughter of his little dango again, just like the spring breeze blowing through the cherry blossom of late March to early April, fresh, delightful, warm, and he pressed the woman on the bed. 

This woman was his little dango!

He kissed her jawline, her nose, her neck, and then that voice came again. Tonight, Itachi’s memories kicked the lid of the coffin and flocked to kiss him. They marched at once and no longer leaked a bit by a bit anymore.

“Kissing our child is okay, but no one will kiss a child at its mouth. It is dangerous for its health.”

“Itachi, you have to promise that you only kiss my lips.”

“Promise?”

I promised! Of course, I promised. 

Itachi pressed his lips on her lips. She was his little dango. This woman was his little dango. He kissed her vigorously, swallowing her moans and whines. Violence sprang up, and he tore her dress, threw them away, and the room was filled with the sound of ripping clothes.

His body ruled his mind now. He caressed her skin, kissed her body, squeezed her left breast while kissing and even biting the right one with his teeth.

He trailed his hardness to her softness, positioning it. Only it was done, there was no way to turn back anymore. But this was just a dream. This woman was his little dango. This was just a dream that Itachi didn’t want to wake up.

Because he was taller than her, Itachi’s back curved to keep his lips on her lips and his hip right at hers, making it look like an unbalanced bridge. 

He had forgotten that feeling. The feeling of powerlessness before a woman. The feeling of being uncontrollable over his body. The feeling of pouring all of his feelings out into her. Now they marched to find him, hit the spear at once on the ground, stepped one more step, made one loud sound, declaring to him to open the gate of his little house. His memories lay in his mind dormant and as well as forgotten, he thought so, long ago.

And when two became one, Itachi rolled with her on the bed in the room infused with a strong fragrance of lilies.

The bed now was the boat in the storm. It moved up and down under the violent waves. There were two people on the boat. But where would the boat lead them amidst the vast ocean when the storm was demanding its ruling throne?

Squeaking, the rusted hinges of the secret inside him gradually gave way.

And the days he spent with her floated like dead fish on the surface of the water.

Itachi usually shared the same bed with his little dango in the afternoon — siesta for two people in the bed for one person, making them lie next to each other, and Sakura loved that. He would turn on the air conditioner on the hot summer days to let the two bodies feel comfortable in a blanket, whereas the winter brought a sense of cosiness. When she was sleeping and maybe dreaming of the unknown world inside her, Itachi just lay there and looked at her dearly. Her skin, under his stolen obvious glimpse, was fresh and young, like a beautiful doll made of porcelain, smooth, pale, and ancient. Sakura was indeed a gorgeous lady with bright shining eyes — the eyes speaks more than anything else. She had been trying to trick him into being naked in front of her. Silly her! Itachi usually smiled when he thought of that those months. If only she had known that he always felt a strong desire to press close to her, to stroke her skin, to make her his. He always knew Sakura accepted the powerful, limitless darkness deep down inside him, but she underestimated it. Itachi did think of days after their marriage when Sakura complained to him about his violence in bed. He could kiss her vigorously and passionately, but it was just a small fragment he carried for years. If being asked where such sharp fragments came from, even Itachi didn’t know how to answer. 

They were just there.

Some hours before a clan meeting, he coaxed her to sleep but couldn’t control himself when seeing her pout at him, Itachi pushed her on the bed and pressed her there, kissing her until Sakura felt hurt, breathless, and her lips became swollen. She wanted to take revenge, promptly stood up on the bed after taking back her energy, buried her face at the crook of his neck, and bit there, making him have to wear a scarf to the clan meeting on a hot summer night with a very stupid reason that he had a cold, which made his smart mother send him a very eccentric glance to show him that she wouldn’t believe. That, maybe, he thought, was the reason why his mother asked him many times whether he was sure to marry Yoko. Or at an uncertain point, his mother thought the woman who made him use such a very stupid reason was Yoko. His mother was after all a sensitive woman. And he after all was an adult who knew that he should take responsibility for every decision he made.

Later, he texted to tell Sakura that they would definitely have a little fox with very sharp teeth of which gene was from her, and she ignored him for another whole week. Shisui laughed at him again. 

Other women would think he was attractive, and being vigorous in bed was exciting, but that was wrong. Sakura could feel very clearly that his violence didn’t only stop there. It was a pleasure in sex as others said, but it was also a terrifying burden. When a person listened to a painful story one or two times, sympathy would dominate the conversation; but if the memories and pain were pouring out all at once, the weight of it was too much to bear; as a result, the listeners would run away. No one was to blame. People lived to find happiness. No one wanted to suffer.

Hanging with him was as dangerous as playing with fire. Anyone who thought he was a gentle man didn’t truly understand him. Sakura might be credulous and stubborn but exceptionally sensitive to the darkness inside the beloved men around her. She noticed Sasuke’s distance, Naruto’s messy behaviour to catch attention, Kakashi’s excuses exclusive for his beloved people, Shisui’s Uchiha mode, and Itachi’s violent tendency.

Sometimes Itachi thought he owed Sakura. If not, why did he always feel that he needed to spoil her? Even Sasuke admitted it. Sasuke told him that he felt an obligation to treat her well. What did the previous life carve in his soul and Sasuke’s soul if it truly existed? What did she do for them? Or what did they do to her?

Sometimes Itachi had a crazy thought that he had died in her arms.

The rain and thunder outside ate all of the screams and whines and roars in the room. Itachi let him be washed away along with the storm.

8.

When the first sunlight filtered through the curtains, Itachi woke up. He looked at the ceiling, feeling extremely tired.

Last night, he knew it was Yoko, and he knew the fragrance of the lilies was suspicious. Yet, he let himself fall into this trick. Was it the so-called ‘breaking yourself’ that Shisui had mentioned? Itachi did feel all of the things he suppressed for years were forced on the woman lying next to him. He felt tired and painful. He knew the woman on the bed was Yoko, but he allowed himself to believe that she was another person — the woman whom he assumed that he once loved. 

Once. 

Itachi was quite confident on this matter that he accepted everything and that he already let things go. He let her go. He forgot her. He didn’t love her as he used to; he only used to love her; he only once loved her. Itachi lived with such a kind of thought for years, and now an illusion had destroyed everything. It reminded him of his long-forgotten love and the desire that he thought he never had.

Why did he fall in love with her? On one of the picnics they had shared, when Shisui was asleep, he walked outside the cabin and saw Sakura sitting with her back against the house, looking up at the clear dark sky. His young heart ravished at that sight. This young girl, his younger brother’s friend, was not so confident of herself, easily moved by emotions, now loud and excited, now silent and sad. But that sight was uncannily antique. It was as though her soul was carved with something ancient and royal, which infused the atmosphere around, even the flowers and grasses swaying in the breeze that silent night. And then it just came silently and quietly. From the time his fingers accidentally touched her hand.

He felt his body was all broken now. The pain of the sudden bright light penetrating the eyes of a man who stayed in the darkness for years was unbearable and overwhelming. But Itachi was awoken now under the indescribably poignant surge of memories. He had walked too long in the mist, and now he was slapped by the truth. At least now Itachi did want to flee from here and go to his old shelter. Itachi finally was awoken. Would it be too late? Would it be better after this night?

Listening to the slow steady breathing beside him, he closed his eyes and opened it again, staring at the ceiling. What should I do now? He asked himself. He didn’t remember exactly how many times he ravished her last night. Itachi was truly terrified and confused for the first time in life because of his violence and ruthlessness. He knew it, and he thought his little dango underestimated it. Still, even he himself did underestimate it too. She begged him to slow down, but he didn’t care. She cried, begging him to stop, but he didn’t listen. All he heard were the voice of his longing woman. At some points, he lost control last night. Was it called having sex or making love? Half of him knew she was Yoko; another half of him allowed himself to see the woman he buried in the deepest corner of his heart. Half of him had sex; another half of him made love. He poured into her all the feelings he had bottled up, including the love he thought was dead a long ago. 

His little dango, lying on him, mischievously tried to put a hickey kiss on his neck to revenge his being late for their date. She knew he would have a clan meeting later in the day and burst out laughing when he wore a scarf to hide it. Again. He had to look at her, grudgingly telling her an excuse that winter was coming. All his little dango did was to rely vaingloriously on their age gap to argue for everything. She even couldn’t be counted as a woman at that time. The man who made her a woman bitterly and sweetly wasn’t he. 

The woman who was lying next to him wasn’t the one he loved. The one he loved was happily living with her husband and would be pregnant with that man’s beautifully adorable children who would call him uncle. Itachi was relieved, strangely. At least, he knew what he should do now. 

When the bridge was broken, there was nothing to bear anymore. He thought he should talk about divorce with Yoko now. Last night’s incident slapped on his face, forcing him to look at a painful truth that he still loved the woman he banished at the train station most pitifully and desperately. He desired her. Uchiha Itachi the recluse, who acted as a monk, had a lust after a woman. He felt quite guilty that he would divorce her after a night he tore her into pieces. The anger of humiliation last night disappeared, and only emptiness was left here in his heart. 

Good.

Itachi felt so tired, totally drained. For years, he never had felt so tired like this. The feeling of pushing away everything. Empty. Tired. Relieved.

Shisui was right. It might be not too late to realise this. His life could continue faithfully with his feelings. Free Yoko, and free himself. He didn’t want to blame her for last night, for the extreme pain he suffered last night, for his vaguely walking on a thread between the truth and his illusion with the bones of his memories under it. He let himself fall, and suddenly the person who forced him on that thread wasn’t important anymore. Should he thank her?

Eventually, he thought, he could find a way to live with himself. His memories didn’t cry anymore.

Eventually, Shisui was also wrong. See? He was broken, but he could find peace now. He could spend time assembling his broken pieces, and a new life would begin again. It wasn’t too late.

Itachi took a deep breath, turning his head to force him to face the truth of his violence. It was okay, Itachi. You could be free now. Free her. Free yourself.

As expected, she had many hickeys on her breasts, shoulders, and neck, accusing him of his violence last night.

Not just that.

Uchiha Itachi was terrified.

Because the long beautiful hair covering her face was dyed rose-gold.

Right at that time, he heard the door opened by someone.

Quickly pulling the blanket to cover that woman’s face, he shouted to the intruder, like a lion’s warning roar to protect its territory, “Get out!”

They pushed the door open. There he saw Yoko and someone like the hotel staff, and his intimidating disposition was so scary that the staff left the room. Well, the staff thought he knew what happened next. Maybe a husband had an extramarital affair. Only Yoko was left with tears on her face.

“I told you to get out,” Itachi sternly commanded.

And the woman next to Itachi was woken up, pushing the blanket away; hands rubbing her eyes.

“Just early in the morning, why is it so noisy?”

There is a kind of hopeless feeling like this. It is when one thinks he finally can truly begin again, he finds hope just to see hopelessness in an instant. Such kind of feeling is so poignant that he rather lives in the darkness forever. 

There is a kind of hopeless feeling like this. It is when one thinks he finally reaches the very end of pain, he finds out it is unfathomable.

Shisui was right, after all.

There was no way to turn back now.

Itachi just felt no weight a moment ago, and now every single piece of him scattering on the ground and in the river was yelling in pain. 

After sufferings were only sufferings.

That was what Itachi felt after he sternly repeated his order for Yoko to leave because he had to witness his little dango’s look in a dazed fashion. She clutched at the blanket to her neck and looked around innocently as though she was begging him to tell her that everything was just a dream.

That was what Itachi felt when he saw Sakura’s tears, drop after drop falling on the white blanket. It had been five years since the last time he saw her tears, and he was the origin of both times.

Of everything.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. I apologize in advance if there are mistyped words or grammatical mistakes since I wrote it on my phone. I’ll check later.


End file.
